


Functional Yet Fashionable

by Megane



Category: Persona 3
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bigender Character, Character Death, Comedy, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dysphoria, Falling In Love, Flubbing the Canon, Game Log, Game Spoilers, Gender Exploration, Genderqueer Adventures, Growing Up, High School, Illnesses, Implied Relationships, Kicking ass and taking names, Loss, Loss Fuels Heroism, Minor Original Character(s), Other, Platonic Love, Polyamory, Psychological Warfare, Slice of Life, Strike Up the Band, Teen Romance, Terminal Illnesses, Time to Save the World, Unrequited Crush, completely self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-03-11 07:32:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 55,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3319235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megane/pseuds/Megane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minato Arisato isn't a very typical student. He walks through life with two sets of footsteps. Even though his friends know about his secret life battling Shadows, they're about to discover a whole new side of him. And they aren't the only ones! The discovery doesn't change much, but it puts everyone on a new page. Minato changes form and style every day, becoming a better student, leader, and friend. Oh, and he accidentally falls in love. Oh, and there's fighting. Definitely fighting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Master of Surprise

A hand was clasped tight around the suitcase handle. The blue haired fighter chanced a quick glance over his shoulder before jumping forward. The Shadow swiped its claws at the air, and Minato landed on the sloped ramp. He sighed and stood up, stretching the suitcase out in front of him. It wiggled and jerked before popping open. Minato snatched the gold object out of the air before it revealed itself to be a sword. The fighter rolled his eyes before spinning around and tossing the unwanted reward into the Shadow behind him. It seized up and let out a painful shriek. At the same time, Junpei ran up with the others and grinned. The small group came to a stop.

          “Whoa-hoh! Yeah! That was awesome!” Junpei shouted, clutching his hand into a fist and pulling it down.

Minato fought a smirk as he joined the others. He rolled his left shoulder, his axe balancing on it. Akihiko and Mitsuru handed over their items. Minato examined them before asking if either of the two wanted to keep theirs. Akihiko pocketed his. Mitsuru just shook her head.

          "The exit’s just a little ways back that way." Junpei pointed over his shoulder. "I saw a case on the way back over, but I wasn’t able to get it."

Minato nodded his head, and everyone made their way towards the exit. He grabbed the left behind suitcase and discarded the once again (and unfotunately) useless item before they hit the next floor.

          "There are no enemies on this floor. Be careful…" Fuuka’s voice echoed to them.

          “We’ll be fine,” Minato stated, more for her sake. To the others: “Let’s split up again. Be on the look out.”

Akihiko and Mitsuru split up almost immediately. Junpei nudged Minato in the side with his elbow.

          "You an’ me. Let’s stick together. Looks like you have all the fun."

Minato wanted to say that there wouldn't be much fun, considering there were no enemies, but in seeing Junpei's wide smle, he couldn't help but nod in silent agreement. They walked around, keeping their ears alert for the sound of jingling chains, but didn’t find anything. There were a few suitcases, but Minato was decisive about what he wanted to scavenge. Junpei walked slowly behind, eyeing a suitcase for a while before humming and following. He perked his head up slightly, seeing that Minato had disappeared. He rolled his eyes and muttered to himself, "And here I thought we were sticking together." He swung his arm down before letting his sword drag against the ground. Just as he neared the corner, Minato came around the bend with a suitcase. Junpei grinned, seemingly more alive now that the leader returned with some spoils.

Oh it was one of the fancy ones - a gold rolling suitcase with matching coloured smoke billowing from under its lid. Minato’s arm jerked as the suitcase snapped itself open with a slight jump. Junpei came to his side; Minato drew the item forward and…

           Junpei stared at it before side glancing to Minato, grinning. “Dude. _Wear it._ ”

 

When the group finally reunited, Mitsuru’s words caught in her throat. Akihiko stared at his leader and then, rather suddenly, took great interest in his shoes. His gloves let out a soft squelch as the boxer curled his fingers tight, trying to mentally fight away his embarrassment. Minato, not oblivious but not responsive to his companion's reactions, was scouting the area as they traversed up the stairs. Akihiko's blush crawled up his neck. Junpei, to Minato’s left, tried not to laugh. Once they were on the next floor, Minato broke into a jog, clenching his axe with both hands now. The others followed behind, trying to keep pace. When their quiet leader inevitably added some distance, Mitsuru and Akihiko stuck to Junpei, who was still delighted with the older students' confusion.

          "… Have you, uh, seen what Minato’s wearing?" Akihiko stumbled, still trying not to sound as flustered as he looked.

Junpei snickered and nodded his head, twisting his sword in a circle before running a Shadow through with it. It never even knew they were there. He didn't know how - maybe Shadows couldn't hear.

          "Yeah! Doesn’t he look great?"

          “That is,” Mitsuru calculated her words, “not up for debate. We merely wish to know-“

          “Why he’s wearing a spiky frickin’ bra in the middle of Tartarus?” Junpei rubbed under his nose. “I dared him to. Kinda.” He placed a hand on his hip before looking to his upperclassmen. “I forgot. You guys don’t know about Minato.”

          That caught the two off guard. “Know what?” Akihiko perked up.

Minato rounded the corner, telling the others - in his flat tone - to hurry up. Sure enough, right under his blazer and partly unbuttoned white shirt was the spiked bra. Junpei turned slightly.

          "Comin’, Chief." To Akihiko and Mitsuru, he said, "We’ll tell ya ‘bout it later. Right now, c’mon. Let’s get this over with."

 

Yukari's greeting was cut short when she saw the others emerge from the access point. She stared briefly at Minato's new fashion accessory before she looked to Junpei with a quizzical expression, a confused smile on her face. In response, he rubbed his nose with his thumb before pointing at himself. She rolled her eyes, mouthing an “Of course” as she turned away. Aigis crossed over to Minato, coolly asking about his status. Minato checked in with her as he made his rounds, but no one questioned his new addition to his attire. It really appeared that Mitsuru and Akihiko were, in fact, the only ones who didn’t know. Minato rolled his shoulders. The bra straps were digging uncomfortably into his already beat up flesh. He looked to the others.

          "Ready to go?"

Everyone nodded. The two upperclassmen mutedly agreed. Minato buttoned up his shirt as he turned. Akihiko glanced to Mitsuru who composed herself and followed. Junpei was retelling his "epic" encounters to Yukari and the others as they exited. Aigis closed the gap between her and Minato, coming to walk at his side. The silver haired fighter soon sighed and let the exhaustion wash over him, cracking his knuckles as he moved with the group. Well, it was best not to think on _anything_  right this instant. They would get their answers later. For now, Akihiko just worried about sleep.


	2. Amateur Investigation

The initial shock and confused interest eventually wore off. Akihiko and Mitsuru found themselves trying to figure out Junpei's cryptic message, but they eventually stopped. It felt weird to make assumptions. They decided that it would be best to confront their silent leader, but finding time to talk was incredibly difficult. The upperclassmen both had studying and training and business to tend to, Mitsuru exclusively on that last bit, and Minato had several things to keep himself preoccupied. Sadly, that was putting it mildly - sewing club, kendo, studying, planning, and honestly, the list just went on. Their schedules, at least for a while, just didn't match up. So, the two decided to… ask around until Minato returned to the dorm.

Mitsuru ran her fingers through her fringe as she walked down to the bottom floor. Fuuka and Yukari were watching TV. The heiress quietly joined them on the couch. Yukari beamed and greeted her enthusiastically. Fuuka, in her mousy way, let out a greeting as well. The redhead lifted up her hand and rested her chin on her knuckles. Her free hand cupped her elbow.

          "I'm sorry for bothering you both, but I've been wondering something…"

She trailed off for a moment and realised she wasn’t sure how to proceed from there. The two girls to either side of her flicked their gaze up, quietly waiting. Well, this was a bit embarrassing. Mitsuru hid her thoughts, smiled a bit, and let her hands fall. She placed her hands in her lap, setting one atop the other. She glanced between the two girls.

          "Something Iori said last week grabbed my attention." Mitsuru spoke deliberately. Fuuka and Yukari adjusted their positions, giving her their full attention. "He said that Akihiko and I are the only ones who do not know _something_ about Arisato. We were wondering if either of you knew what he meant."

          "That’s just like Junpei," Yukari started, lifting her right arm to rest it against the back of the couch. She pressed her fist against her cheek. "Leaving important questions unanswered. Well, I really don’t know what to tell you."

          "The Leader, he…" Fuuka started and immediately caught herself. "I'm not sure what I can say, so I will go with what seems most obvious. He sometimes likes to wear women’s clothing. N-Not that there’s anything wrong with it."

          "I’ve seen him in a wig - kinda long and auburn." Yukari turned her head, motioning with her free hand the length. She touched her shoulder before lowering the hand. "It’s pretty cute."

          "And how, if I may ask, did you two find this out?" Mitsuru asked, though she had more urgent questions she was holding back.

          "I saw him walking down the hall. I thought he had a girl in his room, but when I introduced myself, that’s when I realised." Yukari covered her face, sighing. "It was so embarrassing. I was treating him like his own girlfriend!"

Fuuka laughed softly, and Mitsuru’s lips quirked up. The heiress turned her gaze to Fuuka, who thought for a moment.

          "I… asked. I saw Junpei give him a hair clip at school. I asked who it was for, and he said ‘me’. Apparently, it was a gift from Keisuke."

          "Keisuke?!" Yukari balked, though she looked incredibly interested. "That kid who thinks he’s a doctor?"

Fuuka nodded, and Yukari leaned back, now nuzzling her cheek into her open palm. Fuuka turned to Mitsuru.

          "In any case, I said that it was a nice clip. He thanked me and said that he doesn’t really wear clips often - but hated wasting a gift. Before I could ask anything else, he placed it in his hair." Fuuka pondered this for a moment and brought her hands up to her mouth. "I’m sorry, Mitsuru," she stated, drawing her hands down slightly. "That didn’t answer your question at all."

          "On the contrary, I believe you gave me some insight." With all the grace one could expect from her, Mitsuru uncrossed her legs and stood up, dusting her skirt a bit. "Thank you both. Excuse me."

Mitsuru felt content with her findings, feeling more secure that she would be ready for the conversation with Junpei, and hopefully Minato, later. But it wasn’t until she talked to Akihiko that she realised she still had questions.

          Akihiko rubbed his towel against his neck as Mitsuru entered. “Hey, can you keep the door open? It’s getting pretty stuffy in here.”

          "Certainly."

Mitsuru gently guided the door open, using the toe of her boot to hold it in place. She drew away carefully before moving to the sofa in Akihiko’s room. He thanked her before slinging off his towel. He let it rest on his desk chair.

          "Find anything out?"

          "A bit," Mitsuru started, turning on the TV to what the girls had on downstairs. "It seems he just likes to wear the clothing." She looked over her shoulder to Akihiko. "And you?"

          "I was trying not to look into it. I was gonna wait for him and Junpei, but…"

Akihiko trailed off, delivering a powerful three hit combo to the poor punching bag. On the final punch, the bag swung hard as though delayed by the speed and power. The grey haired male caught it between his hands and let out the breath he was holding.

          "I ended up asking Ken when he came up. Apparently, he goes by either Minato or Minako." After a moment of quiet, he asked, "You think one’s a drag name?"

          Mitsuru actually found herself stammering at the question. _“Akihiko!!”_

          "What?! I’m sorry!" Akihiko’s eyes went wide. His fingers curled against the punching bag. He drew himself a little closer to it. "I was just asking!"

          "Yes! But…!"

Mitsuru brought a hand up to her face, willing the heat on her skin to go away. She spoke softly.

          "I do not believe that’s the case…"

          "Sorry," Akihiko croaked out, still embarrassed from asking.

They fell into a familiar silence, thinly laced with unspoken questions. They gave each other a look and a sigh, realising that they weren't going to get the answers they needed without the source. Coming to that conclusion, they decided to go about their usual business. Akihiko unwrapped his bandages before getting Mitsuru to wind a new set around his fists. He nodded his thanks and went back to his punching bag. Mitsuru made herself comfortable on the sofa. A little while into their routine, the other students arrived. A fact they were alerted to when Junpei’s voice overpowered the televisions.

          "What is _up_ , party people?"

Mitsuru shook her head and turned off the TV. She stood and looked to Akihiko.

          "Shall we go?"

          He grabbed his towel and a discarded T-shirt before nodding. “Sure.”


	3. One is Two in One

They all sat down in the living room. Ken and Koromaru were sitting together on the ground. Minato leaned down to rub between the dog’s ears. Koromaru whined softly before sniffing Minato’s hand and licking it. The leader rubbed the Shiba's head again, this time sneakily trying to wipe away the spittle. He lifted his head when Mitsuru spoke.

          "Before I begin, I would just like to apologise for our ignorance and if we're putting you in a difficult predicament."

          Minato shook his head. “I don’t mind telling you. It's not that big a deal to me.”

The apathetic embrace of her apology actually put the Kirijo at ease. Akihiko adjusted himself on the arm rest next to her. Minato sat back, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.

          "What d’you wanna know?"

          A moment of deliberation before Mitsuru adjusted herself. “How did _you_ find out, Junpei?”

          Junpei smiled a bit, glad to have the spotlight. “Him and Keisuke were talking about art club. Something about posing for an oracle piece or something like that?” He looked to Minato for confirmation. The shorter student nodded. “Keisuke had a book, and they were looking at references. Minato glanced over and shrugged up a shoulder. He just said ‘I’d wear that’. And him and Keisuke went back and forth. They showed me what they were looking at, and I said ‘I’d kill to see you in a dress’. To both of them really and-"

          "You’re talking too much, Stupei," Yukari chided, though her tone was a bit softer on the edges.

          Junpei leaned towards her. “Oh, _c'mon_. Can’t a guy tell a story?” He sat back and sighed. “Anyway, we talked about it after school, walking home, and that’s when he told me.”

          "Forgive me for pressing, but how did you react. Did you not find it odd, or?"

          "I mean, I kinda found it weird, but that's cuz I can't get my head around it." Junpei rubbed his neck. "But I figured it doesn't matter - he's still my friend! And I'm pretty sure if I pissed 'im off, he'd leave me behind in Tartarus."

Minato didn't respond. Instead, he just smiled to himself. His eyes, as always, were closed, but he was reliving the event as Junpei recalled it.

          "And uh," Akihiko focused on Minato, "what did you tell him?"

          Minato took a breath and held it for a moment. He spoke truthfully. “That it doesn’t particularly matter to me. I like to wear things like that or blouses or anything I felt like. It just…” He quieted for a moment, choosing his words. He looked troubled for a moment, and the others mistook his expression.

          "I apologise," Mitsuru offered once again. "I can see that this is troubling you."

          Minato shook his head and continued. "I don’t think of myself as just a male. I’m female too.”

Outside of Ken, Aigis, Koromaru, and Junpei, the other four recoiled at the news. While Yukari and Fuuka had heard or seen their own version of Minato's identity, to hear it phrased in such a way was what surprised them the most. The almost soft admission of “I’m female too” was still as direct as Minato giving orders in battle. He took out a hand from his pocket, placed it on his forehead, and sighed.

          "It sounds dumb when I say it that way," he stated.

          "Y-you don’t have to be embarrassed!" Fuuka tried for comfort.

          "Yeah. It’s -" Yukari was cut off.

          "I’m not embarrassed," Minato corrected a second time, his tone patient. "There’s something kinda fake about saying it that way, like it’s scripted." He returned his hand to his pocket again. "It’s still true though."

          "So, what Ken said…" Akihiko started but left the rest for Minato to fill in.

          "My 'default', I guess, is Minato. ‘Minako’ is my other half."

          "Your girlfriend,." Mitsuru softly teased.

Yukari looked to the other female, cheeks colouring a bit. Mitsuru turned her head and smiled. Koromaru pawed at Minato before slumping against him. Ken leaned back against the base of the couch.

          "Too bad school won’t let you walk around in dresses," Junpei started. "You’d be a knock out."

          Minato scoffed, looking away. “No thanks…”

          Aigis turned her head to Junpei. "Your accusation is false, Junpei. Minato would not physically accost another student. Such an act would have him admonished by your superiors. Suspension would immediately follow."

          Junpei snorted and focused on Aigis. "No, no, no. See, by 'knock out', what I meant was..." 

Akihiko stared at his friend, their leader, and was actually amazed. He never thought about this being a possibility. He didn’t understand it from a more personal aspect, but it made him feel rightfully ashamed of his earlier comment. It was an innocent mistake! H-honestly! But he… Akihiko groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his knuckles. Without looking, Mitsuru rubbed his arm, keeping her focus on Minato.

          "We wish to understand you better, and we are getting closer to doing just that," she stated. "If there was something about you that would be vital in knowing, we would be remiss to overlook it." Mitsuru drew back her hand, leaning back on the sofa slightly. “We can understand that, to you, this is no secret, but you are our leader, classmate, and a valued friend. We don’t want to ignore or continue to be ignorant to such an important part of you.”

Akihiko smiled, grateful for Mitsuru’s social grace. Yukari agreed.

          "I understand better too. I wish you told us earlier…"

          "Yuka," Junpei replied with a tip of his head, "he’s got, like, thirty different things he’s dealing with. I’m surprised he remembers his own _name_ half the time."

          "Ah… Right. I guess that makes sense."

          Junpei then grinned at Minato. “You still going on that date with Keisuke?”

          "It’s not a date," Minato groaned, standing up and heading to the small kitchen. "He just really wants to meet up with me."

          Junpei let out a playful, “Ooooh. Sounds like a date to me. Hasn't he been texting you all we- augh?!"

          Yukari pinched her friend with a sigh. "Talking too much. _Again_. Mind your own business, Junpei."

The bickering started then, and Minato continued along his task silently. Aigis joined him in the kitchen. An urgent question popped up in Akihiko’s head at that moment.

          "Hey, ah… How do we, y’know… refer to you?"

          Minato leaned towards the fridge as Aigis held the door open and took out a small bowl of sliced pears. “He or she… They. Hm. I don’t care which or when.” He took a step back and let Aigis close the door. She closed it a bit roughly, and Minato reached over, patting her arm. "To be honest, I haven't thought about it." When he passed by the couch, he knocked Junpei on the back of the head. “Go study, or you’ll fail your make up test.”

          "Crap. You’re right. Thanks, man."

Junpei jumped over the couch, causing Koromaru to let out a small bark. He and Minato headed up the stairs, voices disappearing as they engaged in a mostly one-sided conversation. Ken stood up, saying he was going on a walk with Koromaru. Akihiko offered to tag along. Fuuka sighed softly and excused herself. She needed to study as well. Aigis had taken Junpei's spot on the couch. Her eyes focused on the flickering TV images before her as she listened to Mitsuru and Yukari go over the information they were just fed.

          "What do you think, Aigis?" Mitsuru was genuinely curious.

          "I do not find such matters to be of consequence. I, by nature, am both genderless and sexless, but I have been identified as 'female' by the whim of my creator." She focused on Mitsuru then. "Whatever and whoever Minato decides to be, I shall encode into my file. Minato's well being and happiness is my primary and most important objective." With that, she turned her head back to the TV.

Well, that truly settled that.

Mitsuru and Yukari dissected the strange romance of the android's words, despite her intentions. They soon drifted back onto their original topic, slowly becoming more accustomed to the idea as they talked about it. They had fallen into a pattern of alternating pronouns and shared a laugh when they noticed. Aigis, without looking to either female, brought up the unmentioned spike bra. Mitsuru and Yukari stared at her before laughing once again, wondering what else their Leader could and would indifferently pull off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That concludes the updates for tonight. I almost left this on tumblr, but now I'm really glad I didn't. I haven't played Persona from the beginning in a long, long time, and that'll start to show in the next chapter.
> 
> Stay tuned though. We're going to get into some straight up wackiness in the future. I have this one idea that I'm either going to use here or for another Persona related project, keheh.


	4. Inspiration Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Even though he argued it wasn't a date, Keisuke knew how to make it feel like one.  Minato sighed and turned his head away from the amateur doctor's stare. Keisuke smiled and closed his eyes, head tipping to the side slightly. He softly apologised - though he more than likely didn't mean it. Minato mumbled it was fine.

          "You look nice today," Keisuke offered, extending out a hand as he motioned to Minato. "If I had known, I would have tried to match."

          "Not necessary." Minato faced Keisuke again, meeting his gaze. "So what was it about the club?"

          "I was thinking about the culture festival! Wouldn't it be cool if we -" Keisuke's gaze turned to Minato's temple, and he smiled brightly. "You're wearing the clip I got you!"

Minato blinked then and turned his head away again, brows furrowing a bit. Did he feel embarrassed? Of course he wore it; it was a gift...

          A brief nod. "Of course I did."

          Keisuke's smile softened, and he spared Minato any follow up comment. "Anyway, I was thinking about why don't we have a blind painting contest?"

          A head tilt. "Blind painting...?"

          The bespectacled male nodded and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "Mhm! We have all participants look at the model, and they have to memorise what they see. Then we blindfold them and tell them to paint it!"

          Minato thought on it for a moment, placing a hand on his chin. "Why don't we..." he glanced up to Keisuke, "make it a little more interesting? When the blindfold comes off, we change something small about the model, like removing a clothing item or adding a prop?" He lowered his hands.

          Keisuke lit up then. "Yes! The participants would be so involved trying to paint and remember what they saw; they might not even notice! We can give away prizes."

There was a warm sensation in Minato's chest. Some part, within the depths of his psyche, felt stronger. Minato canted his head at Keisuke's glee. The amateur doctor-painter continued rambling on other ideas. By the end of it, Minato felt they had a stronger bond. Keisuke motioned for them to stand and immediately led away from the little cafe. They fell into a comfortable silence; it was something Keisuke had to adapt to around Minato, who was currently staring heavenward. His eyes traced over the soft features of the clouds, took in the inviting blue of the sky. Minato closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. It was such a nice day.

          "Minako?"

Minato opened his eyes again and stared at the male across from him.  Keisuke was staring at him but not in his usual way. He was just... observing. Minato stood up straighter and hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his slim jeans.

          "Daydreaming, are you?" Keisuke laughed a bit and set his gaze to the sky. After a moment, he looked back to Minato. "Want to go to the coast?"

Minato took a moment to think before nodding his head once. Keisuke checked his watch and then motioned for Minato to follow. It was a twenty minute walk, which Minato didn't mind too much. He looked around at the sights and took in details of the city he never had a chance to notice before. Keisuke kept his gaze focused straight ahead all the while. When they finally reached the coast, they sat down on the gently sloping hill. Minato drew up a leg and stared at the sky. A few silent moments passed; his eyes fell closed. Keisuke started to say something but then saw Minato slowly sink onto his back, leg still drawn up. The young artist brought a hand to his mouth and laughed gently. He soon imitated his friend.

          "This is nice, isn't it?"

          A soft but content hum followed.

          "Minako, can I ask you something?"

          An interested hum.

          "How do you juggle everything you do?"

Minato opened his eyes and turned his head towards Keisuke. His brows raised up slightly.

          "You have your studies along with art club, sewing club - I heard Junpei said you were thinking about joining student council?"

          Minato nodded his head.

          Keisuke sighed softly. "What I'm saying is you're amazing. You rarely find anyone who wants to work as hard as you - and you're doing all of this for _fun_." He smiled then, big and bright. "Care to slow down a tad? You're leaving the rest of us behind."

Minato smiled then, just a quirk of his lips in one corner. They looked away from each other then before looking skyward.

          "I'm a little envious..."

That... That was actually a little surprising. Minato blinked and then looked over to his friend, who continued staring up at the heavens. This time, Minato was the one staring.

          "You seem like you have it all together. Maybe that's not the case; maybe that's unfair to assume, but you're inspiring to the rest of us. It's just one of the few things that makes me glad to know you." Keisuke closed his eyes and took a big, cleansing breath. Minato waited. "If I had even the slightest bit of focus as you do, I could charge head long into the future without a problem!" Keisuke thrust up a fist into the air and opened his eyes to stare at his hand. After a few seconds, he uncurled his hand and turned his head to his companion. "How do you do it... Minako?"

          Minato lowered his eyes away from Keisuke for a moment before staring up at the sky. "One day at a time... and sometimes I'm still overwhelmed."

          "Ah? What's this? The Great Minako Arisato gets overwhelmed?" Keisuke broke into his now signature smile. "Perish the thought!"

          Minato let out a soft huff of laughter, closing his eyes. "It's true though."

          Keisuke's smile lessened into something softer, more dreamlike. "That's comforting. More than you know."

Minato fought to keep his eyes closed and then, when he opened them, focused on the clouds. He didn't want to turn his questioning gaze over to his companion. There was a grunt beside him some five minutes later, and Keisuke sat up. He stood and dusted himself off before looking down to Minato.

          "Well! Shall we head back now?"

Minato nodded and took Keisuke's hand to stand up. When on his feet, he took the clip out and ran his fingers through short blue locks. After, he set the clip in place once again. Keisuke watched and then quietly led the way back to the station. They took the train back to their destination, chatting along the way until they disembarked. Keisuke sighed softly when they arrived and added some slump in his posture for good measure.

          "I don't really want to go," he play-whined.

          "Just text me - even though we both know you're going to anyway."

          Keisuke grinned. "Sure am. I'll see how we can arrange the blind painting event, maybe brainstorm some prizes, and I'll let you know what I came up with in class."

          Minato gave a short nod, watching Keisuke head to the train. "Thanks for today."

          The brunet rubbed the back of his neck and spun on his heels. "I should really be thanking you, shouldn't I?"

Minato couldn't find an answer to that. Instead, he took in a slow breath, holding it for a moment. The warmth built, and the familiar singing of voices echoed in his mind. They just hit an important landmark in their friendship. But he knew that - even without the distant ethereal chorus of Fortune Arcana. Minato lifted up a hand in return to Keisuke waving him goodbye. Afterward, he turned and headed back to his dorm.

Only to be greeted by chaos once he got there.

Koromaru was barking and running around the couch in circles. Aigis was holding a bowl of fruit in each hand while Yukari tried oh so very hard to smother Junpei with a pillow. For some reason, that last bit was the only thing that made sense. Fuuka peeked up from her hiding spot on the stairs.

          "Minato! You're home!"

          "What'd I miss?"

          "Yuka's trying to kill me!" Junpei shouted, shoving his hands against the pillow coming towards him. "Put her down! Put her down!!"

          "While I agree Yukari is in a frenzied state, I do not believe euthansia is the most advisable direction to take," Aigis piped up.

          "Uh! She's completely _rabid_ , don't you see! Oh SHIT!"

 _"Keep still, Stupei!"_ Yukari ordered harshly, shoving the pillow down with more determination.

          Junpei called out to Minato then. "Minato! Buddy, hey! Y-you _gotta helpmeouthere!!_ Yuka, I'm sorry! See! Uncle! _Uncle!!"_

Minato blinked before walking over to Aigis. The android glanced up to Minato, extending one of the bowls out to him. The fruit within was still a bit damp; they must have just been washed. He helped himself to the grapes. He gave Aigis a questioning look, but Aigis returned her focus to the two bickering on the couch. Junpei managed to free himself and was making a beeline over towards them. Minato stepped out of the way, leaving Junpei with no choice but to hide behind Aigis. Minato sighed through his nose, posture relaxing slightly. He went to grab a couple of paper towels before making his way away from the madness. Koromaru was now on the couch, yapping at the two who were still yelling. Minato headed up the stairs, popping one of the grapes into his mouth.

          "Make sure they clean up that mess before Mitsuru comes back..."

Fuuka sighed weakly but agreed. She didn't want any of them to get yelled at. Minato gave a small reassuring smile to her, knowing that he left her to continue witnessing the childishness, before continuing up the stairs to his room. He could hear Junpei trying to call after him once again. "Sorry, Junpei," he muttered as he got down the hall. Minato closed the door to his bedroom and set down in front of his laptop. As he turned the device on, he could feel - in the depths of his psyche - their bond getting stronger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to warm you guys up to the idea of "Minako" versus just outright throwing her in there. Maybe I'm being a bit generous, who knows?
> 
> This was a surprising chapter; I didn't expect it to go this way at all. On a player note, I ended up warming up to Keisuke a lot, even though I struggled with remembering his name until the almost end. I really like him as a character though. The ending of their friend date was brought to you by this song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ArgsYB5N0
> 
> This chapter was brought to you by my public library. It feels so good to type on a computer again.


	5. Near and Dear Minato"-sama"

Junpei sat comfortably on Minato's bed. He leaned against the wall, idly tossing a ball up into the air. His cap sat askew at the top of his head. He caught the ball and crossed his eyes, trying to spin the ball on his finger. Minato sat at his desk and sent out a mass text to his club leaders. He was feeling sick and exhausted. Maybe Mitsuru was right — he might have been pushing himself too much. Just as he set his phone down, the replies came. Minato thumbed down through the list, tapping to read Bebe's when he saw a crying kaomoji. 

          (óAò) _'Minato-sama!!! I hope you are feeling better soon! Tu es mon cher Minato-sama!!!!'_ ヽ(´□｀。)ﾉ･ﾟ

Minato's lips quirked up in amusement. He replied back calmly, slowly.

          _'Bebe its okay. Be calm'_ He reached over and pulled out a small notebook, opening it carefully with one hand. Dull blue eyes grazed over the scrawled text before he continued his text. _'Je suis bonne...'_

There was a heavy pause after sending the text, but Minato knew to wait. Junpei lurched forward, catching the ball he tossed too far with both of his hands. He lifted up his head, peering to Minato. The quiet leader was diligently reading something in a notebook. Junpei leaned over, arms leaning over the bed and swinging lamely.

          "What's that?"

          "French notes..." Minato closed the book and held it over his shoulder, letting it rest against the curve of his bone.

Junpei placed the ball next to his leg and stretched himself forward to grab the notebook. After the failed attempt, he stood up and plucked it from his friend's hand. He came to stand next to the desk chair. During that time, Bebe replied:

          _'Minato-sama...'_ （；´・д・）

The blue haired student smiled softly and moved onto the next responses. Next to him, Junpei read the katakana, trying - again, futilely - to pronounce the French. Minato snorted and scanned over the texts. Just single variations of 'okay', and just as Minato was about to move to Keisuke's, a new message came in. On the truncated text, he could see "[PHOTO]".

          _'hope you feel better!! can't hide those bad habits from me, young lady.'_

In the newest photo, Keisuke was smiling with a painting beside him. His cheek was messed with different colours. He looked satisfied though. Typical.

          _'what're you doing? take it easy today okay?'_

Minato slid his phone closer, activating his camera with a few quick motions. He held up his phone to Junpei, eyes crossing slightly as he stared at the screen.

          "Junpei."

The brunet turned his confused gaze to his friend before focusing on the mobile phone. In the few seconds Minato graced him with, Junpei corrected his face and held his chin in the joint of his thumb and index finger. The blue haired leader snapped the photo and sent it to Keisuke.

          _'Hanging out with Junpei. Im taking it easy'_

Junpei debated on continuing his amateurish review of French and decided against it. He placed the notes on the desk and reached over to grab Minato's shoulder.

          "Hey. Akihiko, Yuka, and I are going to the movies in, like, twenty minutes. You wanna come with?"

          "Probably shouldn't," Minato muttered, flipping through the pages of a study notebook blindly. He closed it and set it off to the side. He pushed away from his desk. "If we're going to Tartarus tonight, then I'm just gonna hang here."

          "You sure~?" Junpei prodded with a wide, mischievous grin. "We're gonna see Midnight Hunters 2: The Sla~~shing of Sa~~~~ndy. Ooooooh." The taller male wiggled his fingers cleverly, eyebrows wiggling as he emphasised his cheesiness.

Surprisingly, Minato felt tempted. He shook his head, and Junpei nudged his friend with his elbow.

          "Alright, alright. Be a couch potato. I'll tell you how it is." 

Minato nodded his head, liking the sound of that. He stood up from his desk and headed downstairs with Junpei. Mitsuru, who was talking to Aigis, turned her head towards the stairs. She watched the duo curiously and set her gaze solely on Minato.

          "I hope you plan on resting, Arisato."

          "Don't worry, Mitsuru," Junpei reassured, pointing his thumb towards Minato. "The chief here's gonna get some rest. I'm off now. Later, man."

Minato raised a hand in silent farewell and went to the couch. He sat down for a couple of seconds before falling over and reclining across the entirety of the couch. Aigis and Mitsuru's voices melded with the TV, and time passed by in a mix of words and images. He eventually and very lazily decided to change the channel. It was then that he realised that the other two had left. He must have lost track of time. Augh, he could barely keep his eyes open... With the last of his strength, he turned down the volume and set the remote down on the floor. He dozed off for a while, having a nice, dark, pictureless sleep. He was suddenly interrupted when Koromaru jumped up to join him.

Alert and confused, Minato blearily tried to assess his situation. Once he saw the Shiba settle happily, the alarm melted away almost immediately. The leader fell back asleep once his calm returned. Koromaru dozed off as well, a tail wag and a soft yip later. He licked under his leader's chin and nuzzled closer, falling asleep with a deep huff. The couch was a welcome substitute for a bed. Minato slept through the arrival of his teammates. Koromaru stretched out his hind legs but quieted down seconds later.

When Minato finally woke up, it was to the sound of someone crunching an apple. He groaned, and that was followed by a noise of confusion across the room. Koromaru whined and shuddered again, stretching his furry body as he yawned. Minato placed a hand against his eyes, arching his back and yawning too. The blue haired soon found it easier to breathe when Koromaru hopped to the floor. Minato flopped onto his right side and reached down to scratch down the Akita's body sleepily.

          "Heh, sorry, Minato. Didn't know you were here." Ah, it was Akihiko. The boxer tossed his apple into the air, catching it easily in his left hand. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

          "… Time is it?" The leader grumbled, begrudgingly sitting up. 

          Akihiko shot a glance over his shoulder. "8:27."

          Minato clicked his tongue and sat up. "Augh, I slept too late."

Kicking his legs over, he laced his fingers together and pushed forward until he heard several satisfying pops. He lowered his arms and leaned back with a sigh. He let his head rest against the couch. The weight shifted next to him, and a small bowl of fruit was set in his lap.

          "There's a bit of pineapple in there if you want it." Akihiko stated, pressing his lips to the apple, drawing it away a few seconds after. "It'll be good for you - get a little energy up."

Minato offered a small noise in response. He picked and ate his way through the modest portion offered, dropping the small grapevine back into the bowl when he was finished. He rubbed his hand against his shirt. To his right, Akihiko devoured his apple straight down to its core. Minato extended the bowl to the silver haired boxer, who dropped the core in - thanking his leader quietly. 

          "Going to Tartarus tonight?"

Minato lifted his head, almost as if confused that Akihiko was talking to him. After a few seconds, he nodded his head. Akihiko stretched and stood up, taking the bowl. "Gonna go warm up. You should take it easy for the rest of the night if you're still feeling ill." Minato reached a hand up to touch his head. No, he was feeling better - not as warm. Koromaru had wandered over to his food bowl, sniffing it for a few moments before chomping away. Minato rubbed his face and headed upstairs back to his room. He wondered how many messages he would have.

13\. He would have thirteen unread messages. Minato debated on leaving them for the time being. He got a new notification - something social - and decided to check his phone.

          @ **junpaaayyy** : @ImBlue - _i finally romanced ania!! the ice queen is mine whats "im the man" in french_

The short spoken leader rolled his eyes. _'How should I know?'_ he thought, leaning back on his bed. He should probably load up a movie. It would be the only thing to hold him over until they left for Tartarus. Well that, his numerous text messages, and Junpei liveblogging his gaming adventures.

 

The stares at school went mostly ignored. The quiet leader kept her head on her desk most of the day. Her teachers only allowed it because she still responded to questions and turned in her classwork. Junpei leaned over and nudged his friend during their break period.

          "Hey; you gonna be alright?"

          "Exhausted..." Minako replied.

She lifted her head, frowning slightly when Keisuke deftly placed a hand on her forehead. He was in his medical mindset. There was no shaking him off now. Minako stared dully into Keisuke's eyes, following his pen light as he instructed. She winced only slightly and pushed his hand away.

          "I'm fine, Keisuke. Really," she reassured.

          "No, you said it yourself. You're exhausted. Your reaction times are slow, and your pupils --  Augh.I could go on and on." The amateur doctor clicked off his light and spun it around handily. He pressed the rounded end against Minako's covered forehead. "I thought you said you were resting yesterday."

          Minako frowned slightly and lowered her head, drawing her shoulders up. "I was, but something came up late last night."

Keisuke thought to pry but decided not to. He drew the line, though it was almost too easy to trip over it. He was a considerate doctor-in-denial and friend. Keisuke drew his hand away and let the penlight rest on Minako's desk.

          "Well, whatever you have to do today, do it in moderation. You can't go on like this. Your body can't take the stress."

          Minako sighed and conceded, closing her eyes. "Yes, sir."

Keisuke smiled then, though it wasn't his usual brightness. He stood and excused himself, gathering up his lunch before exiting. Junpei, who had moved himself to the desk in front of Minako's, had a huge, smug grin on his face. The redhead stared at her friend.

          "I don't want to ask, but... What?"

          "Nothin', nothin'." Junpei chuckled then. "Just wondering when the wedding is."

          "... What."

          "You an' Keisuke. You know, he's always texting you." He pointed towards Keisuke's desk. "Taking care of you."

Minako stared deadpan at her friend before opening her desk to take out her lunch. She wanted to argue that other people, just as frequently, texted her. The second part, of course, went completely ignored. Aigis, and sometimes Fuuka, took care of her. That was the equivalent. Junpei leaned over to one side, hooked his finger through the wrapping cloth, and brought up his boxed lunch. When Minako closed her desk, he properly straddled the chair he was on and joined her.

          "I didn't think you were traditional, but I mean, hey. Who wouldn't marry a doc—"

His teasing was cut off when Minako plucked a piece of fish and rice from Junpei's lunch and shoved it in his mouth. She sighed. "Shut up and eat." The taller student gave a sideways smile but chewed his food without comment. From there, classes passed by easily, and with a few well-timed cat naps, Minako got through the day. She still felt ragged, and everything in her body begged her to go home. But no. She had one last obligation for the day. She would finish her homework tonight. Slowly. Which worked as a double bonus because Junpei couldn't copy it. 

Just as she opened the door, the sound of a sewing machine stopped. Heavily accented excitement followed.

          "Minato-sama~~~!!!" 

Minako just barely closed the door behind her when Bebe came at her at near Mach speed. Her back hit the door. An arm was around her waist, and a hand cradled the back of her head. The blond pressed his cheek to hers, squeezing her close. He took a step back finally and brought his hands together, bowing deeply.

          "Ah! Please forgive me! I know zat zis is not your custom, but I am _ureshii_ — so happy to see you!" Bebe straightened up.

          Minako shook her head. "It's okay. Were you really that worried?"

          "Oh _oui!_ I was incredibly worried. I thought Minato-sama was truly sick - or worse!" 

The foreigner took a breath and then apologised again, soon stepping back to his work station. He picked up any stray fabric that had fallen to the floor. The tired redhead followed behind.

          "What're you working on?"

          "Oh! Well, I am working on a new outfit for ze summer. It isn't much." Bebe set the fabrics on the work table next to the sewing machine. "Minato-sama, will you please help me?"

          Minako lifted her head slightly. "Help how?"

          "I just need you to model a top for me. I cannot get ze fit correct on a mannequin."

Minako nodded and removed her school blazer, folding it over the back of a chair. Bebe turned around and unbuttoned the draping top from the mannequin. He ran his fingers over the fabric and faced Minako once again. Her red-brown eyes lowered to the shirt before lifting up to Bebe's face. He smiled and stepped closer. 

          " _Sumimasen_..." He reached around and unfurled the item, swinging it around and holding it near Minako's back. "Ah, Minato-sama. Can you please move yor hair out of the way?"

Silently, Minako reached back and gathered her hair into her hands. She didn't have the energy to coax the locks into her usual style (— she mentally cursed her fatigue for taking away the motivation to do so earlier in the day). She pressed her left hand against the back of her head, keeping auburn locks out of the way as she slipped her right arm into the sleeve. She switched hands and fit her left arm into the garment as well. With a sigh, she let her hair fall back down, and Bebe situated the fabric on his dear friend's torso. Bebe took a step back and let Minako make the final touchups. Whatever felt comfortable. The redhead lowered her hands away after a few moments of adjusting, looking to the French male for his opinion.

          After a long calculating thought, Bebe came up with, "Minato-sama, your hair colour looks amazing with zis top." He took a moment to slowly walk around the redhead. "Ze fit is amazing. I will make a few adjustments." He reached foward to unbutton the shirt. " _Merci!_ I appreciate your assistance."

          "It was nothing." Minato adjusted her own shirt before grabbing her blazer.

Bebe sighed as he returned the top to his mannequin. He begin pinning things in place.

          "It is as I thought. Minato-sama can look amazing in anything. Whether it is this humble top or that new hair style of yours..."

Bebe took a step back and stared at Minako. He gasped softly, finally noticing the redness on Minako's face. He frowned deeply. 

          "Minato-sama, are you still sick? Zis cannot be! Please tell me zat you are not pushing yourself for my sake!"

          Minako pulled her hair over one shoulder and stuck her hand into her pocket. "I'm okay. I just can't overexert myself." She brought her free hand up slightly, extending the fingers out a bit. "I felt a bad leaving you on your own here, so."

          Bebe smiled and then let his posture relax. "You are truly amazing... I am so happy zat you will spend your time with me. I just wish we could spend time away outside of ze classroom." He sighed softly, pulling his folding fan from his pocket.

          "If you want... We could always go back to the bookstore together or just out on the town," Minako offered.

          _"Hontou?!"_ The blond perked up near immediately. "If zat is okay! I..."

          Minako gave the smallest, most reassuring smile. "It's fine, Bebe. It'd be nice to get out of the club room once in a while."

The blond laughed and snapped out his fan, hiding behind it for a moment. He sighed, very pleased with the turn out of things.

          "Spending more time with Minato-sama, why zat... is a dream come true."

Minako was quiet for a moment and pulled out her phone. She read over the text, lips moving in quiet pronounciation.

          _"Tu es heureux? Moi aussi."_

There was no verbal response, but words were no match for the brilliant smile on Bebe's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [09.17.2015] There were some hilarious typos in all of this. Oh lord, forgive me.


	6. Sick Days a Week

She had never felt so sick in her entire life, and a quarter of that was from exhaustion alone. It was an uneventful four days of being too tired and too unwilling to function. She finally decided to stay home on Friday. A decision made on Thursday was doubly enforced when she could hardly move at some strange hour of the Thursday night-Friday black morning. Yeah, taking off school just for  _one_ day would be best.

Minako slept the entire morning away. Her eyes, unfocused with the haze of sleep, examined her surroundings. In the brief glimpse she got before she shied away from the bright light, she saw Aigis watching her vigilantly. It was heartwarming in its own somewhat unsettling way. But that was Aigis: loyal to an almost creepy fault. Or so Minako thought in her sleepy, sleepy state. When she finally woke up, it was for real - and almost exactly noon.

          "Good afternoon. At 10:22 this morning, your sleeping patterns became erractic. I took the precautions to change your top sheet and to reposture your sleeping position," Aigis reported. "Your heart rate evened out at about 10:25 this morning." 

          Minako opened an eye and tipped her head towards the blonde. "Thanks, Aigis."

She yawned and stretched up an arm. Her bed was so warm, and she had already skipped half the day... She sighed. No. No, just get up. The blue haired leader cast off the beige and white sheets. She ran her fingers through her short hair, sluggishly heading to the bathroom. Aigis watched her companion before quietly stepping out of the small room. Minako stared at the shower wall as she bathed and thought about her current situation. She was home alone with an android and a dog. Minako let out a soft laugh and tipped her head back, eyes closing under the spray of the water.

It was kinda nice having the dorm, mostly, to herself.

Her shower was brief, but the veil of sleep had finally slipped completely off. She tugged open her dresser drawer and stared blankly into it. Minako plucked out a few items and threw them over the back of her chair. The towel grazed over her skin one last time before falling to the bed. Minako dressed leisurely and stared at her phone almost thoughtfully. It was strange, almost, not being called or texted, even considering the hour of the day. Lunch was coming up soon. She leaned forward, held her short blue hair in one hand, and changed her hairstyle into something longer, thicker. Standing up, Minako ran her fingers through the auburn locks.

 

Flicking through her text messages were pretty interesting. She barely remembered responding to any of these — that's the kind of week she was having. Yuko dropped some golden nuggets of medicinal wisdom that finally boiled down to _"When in doubt, Mina, sweat it out!"_ followed by a flexing kaomoji. Koromaru kept his head on her lap, curled tail occasionally thwacking on the arm rest. Aigis stayed stationary as usual. Every now and again, she would ask if Minako wanted something — or told a story. The tales were interesting without a doubt, so in the two hours she spent sitting on the couch, Minako quietly listened to Aigis' storytelling.

At about two-twenty, she decided to walk to the store. Aigis insisted on coming with. That is to say that Aigis stated that she was coming and nonchalantly headed towards the door. Koromaru panted and excitedly followed. Even though she wouldn't have objected, Minako realised that she had no say in any of this. Ah well. There was no harm in having company. On the way back, Minako detoured to the shrine to give Koromaru some run time. Aigis lingered at Minako's side for a moment before following after the excited canine. Minako looked around and saw a young girl offering a crumpled flower to a weary teen. It wasn't often that she saw other people at the shrine, even to pray. She blinked slowly, taking in the sweet hearted scene before her. Behind her, Koromaru barked excitedly and ripped away Minako's attention. The Shiba raced towards her and handed over a beaded bracelet. She adjusted the bags on her wrist and thumbed the accessory. It had small kanji on it, each one depicting a stage of meditation. She remembered reading that... somewhere. Ken might like it. She stuffed it away into her blazer pocket.

When they entered into the dorms, Minako checked her phone and realised it was fifteen-til. She still a good bit of quietude left until the rabble came home. Hmmmm. Time to cook. She loaned Aigis a book and a magazine and then headed into the kitchen to make lunch.

          From the living room, she heard: "Koromaru. Which of these parameters do you find most accurate? I am (a) a conversational delight, (b) a mysterious intrigue, (c) a shy butterfly, or (d) thrilling storyteller?"

Minako looked over her shoulder and saw Koromaru tip his head before scraping at the magazine in hand. Aigis took in the motion quietly.

          "I agree," she finally stated, moving onto the next question.

The auburn haired student shook her head before focusing on the ingredients in front of her. After cooking, she curled up on the loveseat and noticed that Koromaru was watching her as she settled down to eat. They made eye contact, and Koromaru adjusted himself in anticipation. Instead, Minako focused on the TV programme. She was not going to give in to his puppy eye technique or his, more refined, needy fidgeting. She learned to expertly ignore both dealing with Junpei. The front door thrust open sooner than she was ready for, and the other students walked in. Junpei sniffed the air. Speak of the devil…

          "Hey, Mitako!" Yukari greeted, smiling at the Persona leader.

          "?" Minako drew her chopsticks away. "'Mitako'?"

          "Yeah… We were deciding on something of a nickname for you." Yukari's smile softened then. She pointed her thumb to Junpei, shaking her head slightly. "He came up with that one. _I_ thought about 'Mikoto'. It's cute right?"

          "Sure, but 'Mitako' is kinda funny. It's got a personality, y'know," Junpei countered, making his way over to where Minako was sitting. He rested his arm on the top of the seat and leaned closer to her. "So. Where'd you get that bento?"

          "I made it," Minako delivered flatly, already knowing this game.

          "I'm gonna catch you cooking one day. Just watch."

With that, Junpei reached for Minako's bento. Of course, it was snatched just out of his reach. He huffed through his nose but smirked nonetheless. Fuuka sat in the opposite loveseat, placing her bag down to the side. 

          "How're you feeling?"

          Minako lifted her head, relaxing shortly after. "I feel fine." She picked at the rice with her chopsticks. "No fatigue or anything."

          "I guess staying home was good for you," Akihiko stated from the kitchen.

          Mitsuru's lips curved up, expressing her relief. "Agreed. I assume we'll be heading to Tartarus tonight then?"

Minako nodded her head. Akihiko stepped out and added,

          "Dress light, everyone. I heard it's gonna be kinda hot tonight."

          "Won't be a problem for me," Ken boasted as he rubbed behind Koromaru's ears.

Minako briefly noted that she hadn't spoken to Ken at all in a while. She would have to see how he was doing. Off to her side, she heard a comment related to "battle shorts". She decided not to bring attention to it. She went back to eating her food as she planned for tonight's adventure. The weather had been mild enough the past few days that she hadn't worried too much about her attire. Most of her daily wear was 'uniform', and on weekends, she could get away with something more relaxed. Other that that, uniforms and sleepwear. That was the usual exchange.

Due to her exhaustion lately, she hadn't had a chance to go out and buy anything new. Her only light clothing was dirty, and everything else was a hair above "stuffy". She weighed her options briefly before tilting her head up to Mitsuru. She placed her chopsticks on the bento. Everyone seemed absorbed in their own conversations. She felt it fine to ask.

          "Mitsuru..."

          "Yes?"

Mitsuru stepped closer and extended out a hand, carefully tucking a hair behind Minako's ear. She drew her hand back a fraction, and the two shared a look. The action was a bit surprising but wasn't unwelcome. They laughed quietly. Mitsuru brought her hand back to her person.

          "Mind if I borrow any of your lighter outfits?" Minako asked. "I haven't gone summer shopping yet."

          The older redhead mulled it over. "Come to my room when you're ready, and I shall see if I can lend you something."

          "Thanks."

          "What's that? Did you just get an invitation from _Mitsuru-senpai_?" Junpei emphasised before sighing. "You're so lucky."

          "I go in there all the time," Akihiko countered, only to have Junpei wave him off.

          "Yeah, but you're different."

          "How am I..."

Minako listened to the back and forth with a small smile on her face. She caught Yukari's curious gaze before deciding to polish off what remained in her bento. She was eating rather slowly, but she had only  _just_ gotten her appetite back. When she was finished, she stood up to go wash her dishes and saw Yukari stand as well. Minako was only slightly surprised (and equally as grateful) when their resident ten year old came to her side.

          "Hey. Can I show you what I found today?"

          Minako nodded.  "Sure."

Ken brightened up and motioned for Minako to follow. Well, he seemed happy. As Minako headed out, she handed her empty bento over to Junpei without thinking. Junpei stopped mid-sentence when he noticed the gesture. His hope, however, was short-lived, and he shouted incredulously at Minako's back. She had tuned out to her surroundings, but his uproarious tone made her smile. She followed Ken outside and lifted up a hand to cover her eyes. The afternoon Sun was shining brilliantly in the sky, and its warmth felt amazing on her skin. Minako closed her eyes, relishing in it for a moment.

          "Coming?"

Ken asked softly as though he didn't want to disturb her from her peaceful state. Minako opened her eyes slowly and ran her fingers down the sides of her cardigan.

          "Lead the way."

Ken stared at her almost reverently before clearing his throat and spinning on his heel.

          "Glad you're feeling better," he stated as he led them around the building. Minako followed silently. "I kinda thought you were going to be like that forever." He flicked his gaze up to her, brows drawn up in an uncharacteristic expression. He stared at her flatly. " _Then_ who would stop their fighting?"

Minako let out a quick noise of laughter and shrugged up a shoulder. She reassured him that she felt fine, but that didn't quite cut it. Just like the Sun and the warmth of its rays, she felt Great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter isn't one of the best. This past and ongoing week has been... a nightmare. Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it.


	7. Thinking Thoughts You Never Thought to Think

She had no time to wonder how a Shadow blocked their way to Tartarus that night. She didn't think about how Ken and Akihiko flicked back and forth between electric spells or how Yukari's aim was particularly expert. There was no time to think about how a humid breeze wrapped the S.E.E.S team like an uncomfortable shroud or how the Kirijo's clothing provided a cooling relief.

There was no time to do any of that, so Minako didn't think. She waited. She centered herself and kept her feet firm to the ground as the others ran past in a tactical retreat. She sideglanced to Akihiko as he hurried by. He was in a purple toned boxing robe. She was a bit surprised he actually wore it for their expedition, but it was probably the only relief he had from this smothering night. 

The massive, mutated Shadow slammed its hands against the cobbled ground. Its growl bubbled up from its depths as it made its jerky approach. Minako kept her gaze focused on her enemy as she raised her Evoker to her temple. The other awaiting fighters felt the raise of power before it actually happened.

 _"Persona!"_ came the shout of power and signal of the Shadow's defeat. A multimasked deity twisted his staff and jutted out a palm. The shout rippled the air as the Persona rushed forward and severed the jerky, weakened Shadow. Minako brought a hand up to her mouth and coughed violently. Yukari's healing hand touched her shoulder, and Minako shuddered at the magical chill. Akihiko was on the commlink, debriefing the situation to Mitsuru and Fuuka when everything was over. Ken reached up and held Minako by the wrist, staring up at her. The soft spoken leader stared down at the boy, smiling softly to dispel his hidden worry. The lance he held in his other hand pointed to their objective. It was the length of two Kens but weighed less than any of them. The boy's dexterity as he twisted and jutted it through another Shadow was amazing.

The group reassembled, and they finally entered Tartartus. Upon stepping in, Minako felt as though something was off. The ground floor rang with a particular emptiness, and every floor above pressed down with a haunting atmosphere. She lifted her chin, staring at the ceiling with furrowed brows. The others walked past, giving her curious looks. Aigis placed a hand against the leader's back, and Minako glanced back towards her, giving her a half-hearted smile. Minako felt cosmic hands plucking at her, lifting the thin shirt from her shoulders. Without thinking, she brushed them off and headed through the secret doorway. Igor, as always, was happy to see her. His wild smile was a strange comfort. Minako placed her hands on her thighs and leaned back against her seat. She didn't meet Elizabeth's unwavering gaze. The attendant always saw through her veil, and admittedly, it made Minako a little uncomfortable. Only a little. "You've gotten stronger" was a casual and familiar greeting now. With a shift of his body, Igor lifted up a hand and aimed two fingers at Minako's forehead. Her eyes widened as a line of power formed between them. Her stomach roiled sickly as something upheaved past her flesh and bones from some deep, deep corner of her psyche. Igor branished the new card. A Hanged Man.

She shook her head slightly, trying to will away the sudden nausea, before she felt right again. Igor set the card face down on his desk and let Minako access her compendium. As she changed her arsenal of ready Persona, Minako noticed that she no longer felt the heavy hanging burden that weighed her soul. She stood to leave shortly after. Her eyes settled on the tarot card before she exited. If only she had waited. Igor swiped his hand over and revealed a second that had been hiding underneath. He chuckled as he stared at the smiling face of The Sun.

 

Hours passed since then. No, days. No, _months_ of fighting in the Tartarus. Full Moon Shadows became the hot topic. During this time, Minako and Minato changed and shifted. It wasn't just through hair cuts and less studying that they became different people. It was - sadly, strangely, unexpectedly - through Bebe leaving. The French student smiled and valiantly fought back tears as he spoke behind his fan. Minato shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded curtly. No. That wasn't the attitude he needed. He apologised for Bebe's loss and wished him a safe trip back to France. The wish was genuine, but it felt empty for some reason. Minato chose not to dwell on it. At least not now. Bebe reached into his bag and searched for a gift, snapping his fan closed when it became harder to find. Without the fan as a distraction, Minato could see that he was shaking. The two moved to a desk.

          Bebe laughed brokenly. "Zis is not how I wanted to leave Nippon..."

          "Strange things happen, Bebe. I..." Minato furrowed his brows and found he had nothing to say. Surely, there was something...?

          The blond reached up and grabbed one of his upperclassman's hands. "I know. But it is still unfair..."

He offered the gift, and Minato took it silently. He stared, brows furrowed still as he fought to name this emotion. It wasn't too unfamiliar, but it was a stronger form of _something else_ he only felt once before. A kiss to both cheeks brought him from his daze. He twisted his hand and let the coin purse hang from his wrist. Bebe held Minato by a shoulder. The two stared into each other's eyes, but the prolonged eye contact made Minato look away. A soft laugh was followed by soft mutterings. Minato's mind was clouded. What did Bebe just say? Minato had lost a grasp on their French.

          "I can go with you to the airport." The offer was nonchalant. It was supposed to be. "Might be better than talking to the taxi driver."

          Bebe shook his head, cut locks shifting around his face. "It will be harder to say goodbye, Minato-sama. And I already do not wish to leave you..."

The phrase was innocent. It was just how Bebe was. He was impactful, despite the obvious cultural difference of such mannerisms. Minato cleared his throat and kept his gaze turned away, staring at his feet. It was a all brief distraction. When Bebe didn't leave, Minato lifted his head again, taking in the small, admiring smile.

          _"Anata ga inaku naru to..."_ Bebe spoke carefully, _"watashi ga sabishigaru deshou."_

          Minato squared his shoulders and pulled on a smile with almost no effort. _"Et je, toi."_

Bebe smiled, eyes closing and forcing the tears to roll down. He snapped open his fan to hide his face from Minato and left before he could change his mind or say anything else. Minato sighed and stared at the coin purse hanging from his wrist. Handmade, he mused as a class of Persona voices lifted up and echoed. The blue haired student stared skyward into a world unseen, feeling whole. Complete. He closed his eyes, feeling as though a chain unlocked and a bond immortalised. He opened his eyes again and slowly stepped out of the classroom. It gave Bebe enough time and distance to finalise his decision. It wasn't desired. Only how it was meant to be.

 

Minato caught the train with Fuuka and was lost in a haze when she suggested they stop for a snack on the walk home. His mind was still reeling, trying to place the unfamiliar emotion that seized him in the club borrowed classroom. The wide eyed girl touched his arm gently, rousing him during their walk but offered nothing. Just a curious look and then a smile. No answers for unspoken worries. When he entered the dorm, Koromaru was fast asleep, and Aigis was patrolling to keep herself busy. Minato and Fuuka exchanged niceties before parting ways; the SEES leader headed upstairs. He entered his room, processing the course of his school day. Homework was unappealing but quickly finished, and his laptop offered nothing in the way of entertainment.

Blue eyes strayed to the coin bag.

Minato scooped it up and leaned back in his chair. His eyes lingered on it before setting on the window, peering out to the world outside. The bond tugged at his chest as he quietly held the change purse in his lap. Minato found acceptance as he finally decided to think on this feeling,

       that blond,

            and the unity between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bebe: When you're gone, I'll miss you.  
> Minato: And I, you.


	8. The Next Step Forward

Bebe's leaving gave Minato cause and time to focus on kendo club. Even though it was only one - sometimes two - days out of his week, Minato had all other responsibilities that kept him preoccupied. Getting back into the swing of things was a bit difficult, though he expected as much. During his reintroduction, Minato stated that he wanted to increase his discipline. Yuko argued that just because his academia was strong that didn't mean he _was_ disciplined. Broadening his shoulders, the dull eyed male wanted to prove her wrong. However, after a couple of practice rounds with Kazushi, Minato humbly admitted she was right. Yuko was very gracious about it and only reminded him _twice_ that he was out of his element. Somehow, it was refreshing.

Minato soon learned that, apparently, his kendo club attendance had been lacking to the point where others forgot he had joined up. Everyone outside of Kazushi and, of course, Yuko. He assured them that he would attend more now that his attention wasn't being overpowered. And he kept to his word. He spent two, sometimes three, days out of the week practicing, trying to get used to the rigidity that kendo initially demanded. It should've been easier considering how hard and often SEES fought in Tartarus. Hn. No. Those were completely different worlds. Kendo club was different, fundamentally. It only instilled lessons that could be carried on into that dangerous realm. Tartarus had no rules and little order. Minato, upon realising this, took it more seriously and respected its taught form. 

Another bond was forged and solidified - this time with the couple at the bookstore. Minato found some relief in having friends outside his age group. Also, he had a place where he was always welcomed with jokes and food and books piled to the blocked off sky. There was always something to do, and regardless of how the two insisted Minato didn't have to spend time with them, they were thankful he did. They were a doting pair and a loving couple filled with "always" and acceptance. Minato reflected on their brief and quickly formed friendship one day during practice. His lips curve up into a smile as his sword locked with Kazushi's. Kazushi drew away and lifted up his thin brows.

          "What's funny?"

          "Hn?" The smile vanished, and Minato tipped his head to the side. "Ah. Nothing."

Minato hooked his thumb into his sash and spun around to attack his partner. The slash was perfectly parried with a rustle of the practice sword. Kazushi was quick with a return. Minato's hand clapped up to meet the other as he braced against the downward assault.  _'Just amused anything with Bebe is officially closed off...'_  It was funny in its own way, but even thinking that made him swallow down the truth. His lips stayed quirked up in a bittersweet smile. Thankfully, Kazushi was so absorbed in their practice match that he didn't ask anymore questions.

Yuko called all members' attention. Kazushi and Minato stepped apart and bowed to each other. They joined the group leading to their manager. Minato's attention wandered as Yuko broke down their practice formulas. Some pairs would be switching; others would be congregating to practice in groups of four. He observed each of the other members, trying to learn their faces, hair styles, or postures – especially if he would be working with any of them soon. He thought he recognised someone as he turned his head away. His eyes still peered off in that student's direction. He eventually gave her his attention just in time to give an agreeing shout with his fellow practitioners.

Some days after practice, Minato found himself hanging out after school with Kazushi. The taller guy had a definite charm of his own. He was curious, let things linger, and was a close walker. He didn't seem to notice, or it didn't seem like he did. Minato didn't particularly mind, having hung around with Junpei so many times. Thinking on it, Minato was socially prepared for a lot of situations because of Junpei. He made a note to buy his friend a gift. Their usual meet-up spot easily became the ramen shop just above the old couple's bookstore. There were times where, before they went to the second floor, Minato would pop in to say hello and checking on the couple. It was an easy habit to fall into, but Minato was still surprised when Kazushi asked if he wanted to make his usual detour. Despite his surprise, Minato smiled at his companion's consideration.

He also spent time with Yuko. At first, she was content with walking to the train with Minato. The two would chat for a while, hop on the train, chat some more, and then go their separate ways at the station. One Wednesday after practice, she caught him on the way out of the building. "Let's go to the mall!" she suggested, smiling brightly as she did. Minato considered his schedule briefly before agreeing to the little outing. They walked around, perused the food court, and eventually landed back on the first floor in the arcade. Yuko insisted playing the dinosaur shooting game, an unexpected choice, and Minato couldn't help but be drawn in by her playful cockiness.

          "Whoever clears the most enemies has to buy lunch from the food court."

          "'S a little late for lunch," the blue-haired student teased, holding his gun at his side. "Hope you have enough money for American food."

Yuko dramatically balked at his indirect claim to success but readied her gun all the same. In the end, they both tied and split something called a 'hoagie'.

It was a pleasant exchange of spending time with the club manager and the other kendo member. They both always asked Minato personal questions, which were innocent mostly and wholly danced around. Yuko liked to talk about the club and critiquing Minato's fighting form. Kazuhi talked about Minato's reputation versus his own and eventually started talking about regionals. To either conversation, the Persona user contributed little. 

At night, both would call to make plans and sounded various degrees of disappointed when Minato had to reschedule. It was funny. He only had to reschedule because the two unintentionally conflicted with each other. It happened again tonight.

           _"Hey, what're you doing Thursday night?"_ Yuko prompted near the end of the phone call.

          "Gonna go see a movie with Kazushi."

          _"Again?"_  Minato found himself smiling. Yuko huffed out a sigh.  _"I guess I'll catch you later then."_

          "Sure." He stared at his phone shortly after she hung up.

Minato tapped his phone against his lips before heading downstairs at Fuuka's call. It was so much easier and faster to text, wasn't it? But then he liked how personable the phone calls were. Plus, it also felt like the two kendo students were bidding for his attention. The idea brought a tiny tug of a smile to his lips. He headed downstairs for dinner – Fuuka was cooking. The others were already settled in their seats; from what Minato could hear, Ken was having a debate with Akihiko with Yukari as his wing supporter. About what, Minato honestly didn't  _want_ to know. As the quieter student descended the stairs, he could see the scene more clearly. Ken was sitting on the couch, turned towards Akihiko. His lips parted and eyes squinted as Akihiko, who was standing next to the arm rest, elaborated his point. Yukari was sitting behind Ken and shook her head, tapping her finger against her palm as she countered an argument. Akihiko's "What?!" prompted a loud snort from Junpei, who had to turn his head to hide his mirth. Mitsuru was sitting on the opposite love seat, silently delighted with this back and forth exchange. Akihiko spun to the heiress and flicked a hand towards the two on the couch.

          "Can you believe this?"

          Mitsuru tilted her head, long locks falling over her shoulders. She decided to come to her companion's rescue. "I do believe Akihiko has a point. You wouldn't be able to supercharge Aigis and acquire proper results."

          "No, you have to think about this way," Ken began and retraced his points from earlier.

Minato's gaze strayed from the group in a search for Aigis. The blonde was in the kitchen, assisting Fuuka with her meal preparation. Koromaru, he soon noticed, was under the coffee table with his paws crossed over each other. His head turned this way and that depending on who was speaking, even if he couldn't see them. Minato stared down at the ground before laughing to himself. Well, this guaranteed to be an interesting night.

  
 

Classes: quick. Practice: brutal. Movies: welcome.

 

They went to see the feature film. Minato found his gaze bouncing back and forth between the screen and his companion. He was looking forward to the post-movie commentary. The movie hit a dramatic silence. The protagonists' occasional shuddering breath sliced through the stagnant air. Kazushi was shoveling popcorn into his mouth but was still courteous enough to extend some out to Minato, who silently declined. He was nursing a mixed soda with no ice and had been since the movie started. Unlike his companion, Minato hadn't used the bathroom once. Kazushi went thrice.

There was a loud noise onscreen, causing everyone (even Minato) to jump a bit in their seats. Minato placed a hand on his chest and exhaled softly. Kazushi chuckled to himself. "Good one," he mumbled before he sipped his soda. By the hour-thirty mark, they were properly invested in the film. It actually ended up being pretty decent towards the end. Too bad there was only fifteen minutes of movie left. Minato was leaning to his right, closer towards Kazushi. He didn't think anything of it. His taller friend, however, glanced down to him, nervously checking their proximity. Realising that Minato's gaze was glued to the screen, he decided not to say anything but stealthily leaned away. He curled his fingers around the already crumpled up popcorn bag.

As Minato checked his watch (hour and forty-one), the female on screen turned around suddenly and found herself in front of a mirror. The music had been so dramatic, but right when her eyes met her reflection's, it suddenly fell away. In that mirror, there was someone more androgynous with a short, messy, self-done haircut. She gasped realising that this person she had been calling "The Man" was her all along! She reached her hands into her hair – the reflection did the same. Hands reached out from the darkness behind her and suddenly grabbed her shoulders. The second reflection she saw in the mirror was taller. A rounded chin rested just above the messy cut. The black, smoky eyes opened, revealing piercing blues. "Who –" was the only thing the protagonist could get out. The figure snatched her back suddenly into the shadows. The camera stayed focused on the mirror. The woman's screams echoed through. The screen fell to black. The director's name popped up and was met with applause.

The movie had been mediocre to start, but looking back on it, it built in intensity with little nuances and cleverly hidden themes. Minato nodded his head as he clapped. It wasn't half-bad after all.

          "Oh  _man!"_ Kazushi shouted once they were out of the showing room. He slammed his popcorn bag and empty drink into the trash can. "That was pretty cool!"

          "I'm surprised," Minato breathed. He pointed to a door with his thumb before they passed. "Bathroom?"

          "Bathroom." It was punctuated with a nod. "I was holding it in towards the end."

          "You should have taken your time."

          "Yeah, I know, but I didn't wanna miss that ending."

Minato held open the door as they entered. He didn't have to go very much. It was more of a "might as well" kind of thing. By the time he finished washing his hands, Kazushi was still in one of the stalls.

          "Hey," he stated. The sound of flushing followed shortly after.

          Minato turned his head, rubbing his hands under the hot water. "Yeah?"

          "What do you think about Yuko?"

Not quite what he had been expecting. Minato silently shrugged.

          "She's a good friend – strict though when she wants to be."

Kazushi stepped closer to the sinks just as Minato stepped away and headed to the hand driers. The sound of rushing air noisily filled the silence. When it was over, Kazushi let out a sigh.

          "Yeah, she's pretty. Neat, that is. Pretty neat."

Minato glanced over. Kazushi was blushing. Minato couldn't help but smirk. He nodded his head a bit, closing his eyes.

          "That too, I guess."

          "So you think she's cute?"

Kazushi flicked his gaze to Minato, who merely shoved his hands into his pockets. Kazushi pulled his hands away, and the water turned off. He headed over to the driers. Minato stepped out of the way, mulling over whether or not he should answer Kazushi's question. The conversation continued once they were outside. 

          "Mind if we head to the store for a minute?" Minato asked.

          "Uh, no problem." As they walked, "You know, some people would be put off by the fact that she's so sporty. She doesn't hide it! She, you know." Kazushi flexed his right arm a bit. "She's got some muscle!"

          "I think it's good for her. She's got a different body type," came the mumbled response as a door was pushed open.

          Kazushi caught it and followed through. "Yeah, she..."

He trailed off, taking in what kind of store they were in. A beauty supply. Kazushi temporarily lost his place in the conversation, looking around at shelved, colourful wigs and displays of makeup. To one side, there was a men's section for shaving, hair grooming, and other knick knacks, but it looked more like an after thought splashed into the store. Minato already knew where he was going though; his gaze strayed here and there at new additions. He stopped right in front of tiered shelf for hair care. The wig care products were haphazardly scattered in, but what he wanted was right where it always was. His auburn hair had gotten tangled somehow, and now that he had worked out the kinks, it needed a serious washing. He touched the back of his head as he thought. Kazushi, very slowly, walked up beside him.

          "Hey, uh. What're you getting...?"

          Minato lifted up the shampoo bottle towards Kazushi but kept looking at the products lined up in front of him. "Need this for a project at home."

Kazushi seemed to relax then. Oh okay. A project. He took in his surroundings again, feeling a lot less dumbfounded. Minato noted Kazushi's change in posture and shook his head slowly. He browsed the shelves one last time, making sure he didn't need anything else, and then motioned for his friend to follow. They headed to the fron, and Minato added one of the items at the counter into his purchase. They headed out of the shoppe once Minato's items were bagged. The 8PM train wasn't packed, which was the only relief for staying out late. Kazushi waved his goodbyes, and Minato quietly headed home. Junpei and Akihiko were downstairs watching TV when Minato arrived. The upperclassman had an open textbook over a propped leg; he rested a cheek against his right hand, staring at the screen with a small smile. The door clicked closed. Both males lifted up their heads. Minato was reading over the shampoo label.

          "Hey, Chief. How was the movie?"

          "Pretty good," Minato replied softly, fingers turning the bottle over. He brought his head up and peered to the others. "Actually, it was pretty amazing."

          "Yeah? That's cool. I've been here with Akihiko, and he's been doing  _homework._ " Junpei rolled his eyes slowly.

          "What?" came the laughed response. Akihiko placed a hand on the textbook. "Maybe if you took your studies even a little seriously, this wouldn't seem so strange to you." To Minato, "We going to Tartarus tonight?"

          "Hm? Sure." He wiggled the shampoo twice, holding it up. "Just let me take care of something first."


	9. Signs and Off Days

Was it just her or were the Shadows getting stronger? Minako had time to think about this when rubbing her shoulders in class, an action she had been repeating for the past few days. People were starting to notice. Keisuke was the first, naturally, bringing it up on the second day, followed by Junpei and Kenji. Kazushi and Yuko only took notice during breaks and when Minato had to pause his training exercises. Yuko called another match and wandered off for a moment. Kazushi held a hand on Minato's shoulder, gently working his thumb against the joint as they talked. The manager beckoned for Minato across the room. He thanked Kazushi and headed closer to the manager, sword held in his left hand. Her eyes immediately went to it.

          "You're not left-handed."

          "I wanted to try something new."

          She sighed disapprovingly. "You're going to exacerbate your joints."

He wanted to say "I'll be fine", but the problem had been going on for five days now. He nodded his head, a very silent submission to her admonishments. She relaxed but was still worried.

          "Sit down," she instructed softly, motioning to the bench. "I'll apply this gel."

Again, a nod, and Minato did as he was told. He sat with his back to the manager. The practice sword rested against the bench, soon sliding to fall against Minato's thigh. The SEES member - current kendo practitioner – opened his keikogi and exposed his shoulders. He drew in a breath when the gel hit his skin. It was borderline freezing! As Yuko started to massage it in, the gel warmed up a bit. That was enough for Minato to bear it without further mental complaint. The tips of her three fingers rolled against the aching flesh, leaving a thick sheen as she went. Yuko's eyes followed the path her fingers took, sometimes backtracking to make sure she didn't miss a spot. Her palms rubbed over the rounded, slim shoulders; the heel of her palm pressed in to force out some of the kinks. "You're wound tight," she remarked, curiosity taking the place of concern. "You need to be careful and relax more." Minato gave a vague noise in response, happily easing in her hold.

Yuko repeated the motions after she put the bottle down again. She used both hands to work in the product and made sure that she had released as much of the tension as she could. Her hands were a shiny mess by the time she was done, but the gel had changed from cool to hot under her ministrations. Minato's eyes had long since fallen closed.

          "You're going to have to sit this practice out," Yuko instructed, "and you'll have to keep your keikogi off until it dries."

          "Okay," came the distant reply. Minato was close to falling asleep.

          When Yuko spoke again, she couldn't keep the worry from touching her voice. "Be careful - whatever you're doing."

Minato opened his eyes a bit to glance in the direction she had gone. Soon after, he closed his eyes. There wasn't much he could do, so he tried meditating. His attempt fell short as he ended up falling asleep with his uniform top around his waist.

 

           _"And now that he's seen me win, he's completely on board with me being an artist!"_

Minato read the same line for a fourth time, holding his phone against his cheek. "That's what you wanted, right?"

          A sigh, deep.  _"I just wanted his_ support _in whatever I did, but it's only a matter of time before..._ " Keisuke paused.  _"Well, no matter. I have what I asked for! I hope I won't come to regret it."_ _  
_

          Finally giving up, the distracted student minimised the browser window. "I'm sure you won't."

           _"Minako, are you feeling okay? I saw you rubbing your shoulders again today."_

          "I'm feeling better. Yuko ended up using a hot-cold gel on me at practice."

           _"I'll have to thank her!"_

Minato smiled a bit, and there was a knock at his door. He muttered a 'hold on' to Keisuke and a louder 'come in' to whoever was there. Ken opened the door.

          "We're having a meeting downstairs. Mitsuru asked for me to come get you."

          "I'll be right there." Minato turned to his computer, cancelling some programmes and putting it to sleep. "Kei, I'll have to call you back."

           _"No problem! Text me whenever you get a chance. I'm going out with my parents."_

          "Good luck."

           _"Don't you mean 'have fun'?"_ Keisuke didn't hide his amusement.

          "Also."

          A mirthful laugh preceded a fond,  _"Night, Minako."_

They hung up. Minato left his phone on his desk before getting up and heading down the stairs to attend another SEES meeting.

 

The best thing about spring was that she could dress light. Her thick hair would be unbearable come summer and she briefly thought on new hairstyles. She'd probably ask Fuuka and Yuuka for their opinion. Mitsuru walked gracefully by her side that morning, speaking with equal eloquence. Another admirer approached her, completely overlooking Minako. The heiress regarded him, took his letter, and thanked him in a steady flow, never once stopping her walk. School was starting, and she didn't want to waste any time so close to her destination. The bell would ring soon, and she liked to be punctual. Minako shared the sentiment.

          "And Arisato."

          Minako faced her upperclassman, standing by her homeroom door.

          "I appreciate all that you've been doing for us since your joining. I request you take some time off. Your power has increased exponentially. I wish I knew your secret." Tucking a stray lock behind her ear, Mitsuru continued: "We'll be training Amada and Takeba tonight to increase their proficiency. Since we won't be climbing any higher, you don't have to attend." She held her arms under her chest. "I hope that won't bother you too much."

          "Not really, no."

Mitsuru laughed, a melodic noise. She brought a hand up to her mouth, turning her head away.

          "I have to say, I'm a little surprised by the response, but I suppose I shouldn't be." She brought her hand down, facing her companion. "I'll be with the student council for a while after classes, so I'll be late returning to the dorm."

Minako nodded. Mitsuru met her gaze with the smallest of smiles. She flowed into a new direction.

          "Have a great day, Arisato."

          "You too."

 

It was strange to think about having 'time off' from being in Tartarus. Minako remembered when they were trying so, so hard to get things together – fighting all of these shadows. She pulled on her keikogi thoughtfully and grabbed her practice sword. She wondered how she would spend her time. Stepping out onto the mats was familiar. The double takes and stares were new though, at least when it came to her kendo team. Some soon looked away, choosing to go back to their conversations and practices. The only two people who kept their gaze on her were Kazushi and Yuko, but Minako took no notice. A blond walked up to her, placing a hand on his hip as he talked. He was the student she tried to recognise when she first came back. He sat against the left wall in her homeroom, right? Looks like he changed up his style. She complimented his dye job, and he laughed nervously.

          "Thanks. I wasn't sure that it came out good, y'know."

          "Nn. You look fine."

          "Thanks! Hey, you wanna spar with me?"

          She shrugged up a shoulder.

          "Oh, like you have something better to do."

His smile was bright, and he clapped her on the shoulder. They headed to a spot to spar. Kazushi furrowed his brows, resting his shinai on his shoulder. Yuko followed Minako with her eyes but chose, at that moment, to reel in her curiosity. She had duties that she needed to attend to. She clapped her hands together, grabbing the attention of a duo near her. She critiqued their forms before giving them pointers. Minako bowed to her blond partner and readied her sword. The usual clack of the practice swords' collisions filled her ears. She kept her focus strong and deflected a straightforward strike. Her brows knit together from the exertion. The blond grinned down at her, his smile taking a more determined edge. The two took a pause and then stood up straight, bowing to each other before resetting their stances.

Something deep inside of her felt off. An invisible corridor trembled, foretelling of  _something_ happening in the near future.


	10. On the Path I Cannot Follow

Minako balanced a hand on the butt of her shinai. Her eyes followed Yuko, who walked between each group. The redhead kept her hair in a high ponytail, her fringe swept up and offsetting the right side of her face. She picked at her bottom lip with her free hand. Kazushi was favouring his other leg (a habit Minako was noticing), talking loudly about another group off to their side. It was mostly to interrupt what they were doing, and he was succeeding. One of the students turned when he reset and told Kasuhi to cut it out. Kazushi just laughed to himself and turned his head away. Minako was observing the way he moved and shifted but tried otherwise to bring no attention to it. Yuko placed her hands on her hip, asking everyone if they understood their directives. Minako lowered her hand and joined the choruses of affirming voices.

Minato held the paintbrush in his hand, staring blankly at his canvas before referring to the live model. She was someone from the "Craft Club" – not so much a club as it was where the female bikers and mechanics hung out. She was muscled; her skin was a deep shade of tawny. There was a scar that circled her forearm and a cut on her upper lip. She looked tough and probably was, but right now, she seemed happy to be a model for them. At the end of the session, she stayed behind to look at the paintings and chatted up the painters. She popped up during Keisuke and Minato's conversation, observing the two's take on her. Impressed, she placed a hand on Minato's shoulder, pointing with her other hand the things she liked the most. The side of her fingers rubbed against his neck. Minato froze but didn't say anything.

Minato hung out with Kazushi and Yuko when the schedules weren't conflicting. Sometimes even all three of them spent time together. They hung out at the mall or jogged around the park. Talks of school were unfulfilling and thankfully short and were quickly replaced by other topics. Home life, games, kendo practice, weekend plans, sometimes evolving into relationship talks. Neither Yuko nor Kazushi asked about the red hair or why the blond student sometimes referred to him as 'Mina **k** o'. Minato didn't ask about Kazushi's ever changing posture nor did he ask Yuko about her wandering looks.

Minako drew her legs up and sat perched on the couch between Ken and Yukari. Junpei sat in front of them on the floor, playing a game on his laptop. It was an American indie horror, if she had remembered right. The game had been dubbed in Japanese, but the original subtitles were still in English. Junpei claimed he could read it, but none of them decided to test him. Minako got a message on her phone - Kazushi asking what she was doing.  _'Watching a friend play Downfall'_. The game was pretty messed up, but she didn't add that.

Days passed with little focus. The spring semester was coming to a close, and Minako spent each night after studying in Tartarus. Her first night back, she swung the axe in her hands. She needed to get used to holding a real weapon again, especially one with such lopsided balance. The Shadows bubbled and growled at her, but it meant little if anything at all. The others scouted ahead, checking the floor for any missed treasure or remaining Shadows. Fuuka's voice echoed, requesting the team regroup to Minako. The team leader was slowly walking, turning the axe she balanced on her shoulder. The first around the corner was Mitsuru, who warned her about a Shadow trying to sneak up on her. Minako spun around quickly and drove her heel into the black sludge's form. It wriggled obscenely, and she was quick to follow up. Minako swung her axe down and bisected the otherwordly creature. The others soon joined her. Aigis placed a hand on her arm. Koromaru pawed her leg. Mitsuru smiled softly before motioning the others to follow her up the stairs to the next level.

It was getting hotter. Summer was whispering its arrival. Everyone was dressing lighter. Minato sometimes fanned himself during class. He needed a haircut. Junpei complained about needing one too, running his fingers over the growing, wavy locks. Minato smirked a bit, saying he wondered what Junpei looked like if his hair grew out.

          "You'll never find out, Chief," Junpei replied. "And if you do, I'll be long dead by then."

          "So dramatic."

Minato spread his fingers out over his desk, closing his eyes as a breeze blew in from the open window. The next teacher walked in, and the students stopped talking. Junpei rubbed his hands together eagerly. English – the only subject he seemed eerily excited about. He must have seriously wanted to go to America.

 

Keisuke touched her neck by the end of class, earning a shudder from her. Minako placed a hand over the spot, fingertips grazing blue hair as she spun around quickly and stared at the bespectacled student. She was blushing, just the slightest bit. Keisuke was usually kind enough not to say anything. Today though, he placed his hand on his desk, leaned forward, and said, "That's a nice colour on you." Minako turned her head away and asked what he wanted.

          "Are you doing anything next Tuesday after school?"

          "Next Tuesday?" she thought briefly and shook her head. Her schedule was on her phone, but she wasn't going to check it now.

          Keisuke brought up a hand, resting his chin on the back of it. "I want you to meet me on the roof then."

          "Hm? Okay." Was there a reason he needed to plan so far ahead?

          He tilted his eyes down, peering down towards Minako's seat. "And... can we see each other Sunday night?"

Sunday  _night_? She definitely wasn't planning anything then. Maybe buying something off the home shopping network and giving Koromaru a walk, but those were the high points of her Sunday. The warm brown eyes met hers again, and Keisuke smiled. 

          "Great!" He began standing up. "I'll text you if anything comes up."

She nodded and stood up as well, finally pulling up her phone as she grabbed her bag. Yukari had archery practice but wanted to meet up after. Fuuka was probably already there. There was no kendo club today. Yuko was out visiting family for some important life event, so there probably wouldn't be any this week. Minako adjusted the bag on her shoulder and made her way to the outside practice field. All the while, she wondered what was going on with Keisuke. She shrugged it off, choosing put it out of her mind until the time came.

 

Friday afternoon, Kazushi linked arms with Minato as soon as he came out of the classroom. He dragged the shorter student to the practice room and then straight to the outside. An unexpected turn of events, sure, but Minato allowed it. Adding to the small list of surprises, Minato saw the kendo team had come together and held a little picnic. There were all kinds of food items, and the presentation was really welcoming. After a pause, he stared up at Kazushi.

          "I didn't bring anything."

           _"Obviously,"_ came the good-natured tease. Kazushi drew his arm away and scratched his head. "This was a surprise put together by those two." He pointed to two members talking near the door. "It's too bad Yuko couldn't be here."

          "Yeah."

          "Ah. They probably have that covered too." A thick hand slapped against Minato's slender back. "Sit near me. I wanna talk to you about something."

Minato's eyes were focused on the sandwiches and fruit spread. Blinking, he nodded his head and followed after, already enjoying the warm weather.

 

Sunday, for the most part, was spent as expected. Out of the predictable schedule, there was one new activity. Mitsuru helped fashion Minato's auburn hair, shaping the locks into an asymmetrical bob with sweeping bangs. Fuuka likes the idea of bangs, and Yukari dared Minato to be bold! To an extent. "Something you can still wear in class, but this summer, you're doing something totally  _out there_." She pointed at her friend and smiled. "Count on it." Everyone liked being cryptic or surprising lately. This week had been pleasantly unexpected. Minato's friends and associates really knew how to capture the essence of mystery. As expected, the heiress wasn't much of a talker as she helped trim and snip the hair. Music played softly out of the portable speaker system — which was Junpei's, but he happily lent it to his admired upperclassman. She dusted Minato's shoulders before setting back on her task. Minato sat still, fingers moving to sweep away the discarded locks that fell onto his book. The Kirijo sometimes hummed to the music. Minato didn't say anything. He was sure that she wasn't aware of it, but it was nice to hear.

Afterwards, when out on a walk, Minato turned on his phone's music player and tucked it into the pockets of his shorts. Koromaru ran ahead, tail wagging and tongue lolling. The Shiba panted heavily, pausing every now and again as he decided which direction to go. Minato pinned his bangs out of the way; the heat made them cling uncomfortably to his face. Whenever Koromaru paused, Minato stretched his muscles in the brief rest periods. On their way back home, they rested at the park for a little while and then  _sprinted_ all the way back. The two entered the dorm breathing hard but feeling content.

Sunday night was far cooler. Minato actually needed to wear a jacket. Keisuke met him at the mall, smiling as he always did. There weren't many stores open, but a restaurant on the second floor was one of the few. It was a bit pricey, but the food was good. More than that, Keisuke insisted on paying. Minato had more than enough money to pay for, well, every single person's meal currently here, but instead of that grand act of philanthropy, he let Keisuke be the gentleman.

Keisuke wasn't acting any differently than usual. He had a theme, more or less, whenever they spent time together; it was a lot better to hang out with him when the sun went down or was going down. The weather was usually much more favourable then, and he shone so much brighter during those times. True to his nature, he was incredibly warm and friendly, but even still, Minato felt as if something was a bit off. They sat near the windows and held a quiet conversation as they decided what to order.

It started with the almost endearing way Keisuke asked to spend time with Minato during class. He let out a soft breath, shoulders relaxing visibly. It was almost as if…… he had been expecting rejection. Minato rolled his pencil across his desk, feeling the curiosity bubble in his chest. He managed to resist the urge to ask anything, putting it out of his mind for now. Keisuke stated that he had been here once or twice before, and Minato had been here once, if memory served him right.

After making a decision, Keisuke stared out the window for moments at a time. Sometimes, he glanced around at the other patrons with a dreamy stare. Now, Minato felt, was the time to ask questions.

          "Is everything okay?"

Keisuke turned his head and looked to Minato. He tipped his head and smiled, lacing his fingers together.

          "What makes you ask?"

          A shrug. "Wanted to ask; I have a feeling."

          "You always were perceptive."

Minato hummed in response, not quiet feeling satisfied with the deflecting answer. Many golden hands metaphysically laid upon his form, giving Minato an out of body experience. He shook his shoulders, pushing away the Fortunes' hands. Dusting a shoulder absently, he watched as Keisuke sat up straight and nodded his head.

          "Everything's okay, actually. Better than it's been in a while." He drummed his fingers against the table. "I've been really engrossed in a lot of things lately, which is why I could only meet you on such odd days."

         "I know what it's like to be busy," Minato said as he crossed his arms.

         Keisuke laughed. "I don't doubt it!"

They shared a smile. The ethereal touches were still there, trying to grab his attention for _something_ , but Minato pointedly ignored them. They ordered their food, and Minato managed to calm his mind for long enough to enjoy the meal when it came. Keisuke's behaviour was still a tad unusual as they talked over dinner, but for now, Minato ignored it. They left the mall about two hours later. Minato checked his phone and saw that it was only 10:30. He closed his eyes. Earlier than he thought. Good, he wouldn't want to be caught with Keisuke during the Dark Hour. That would be hard to explain away later.

          "Did you have a good time?" Keisuke asked, leaning his shoulder against the dorm door.

          Minato nodded his head, smiling a bit. "Of course."

          The taller male let out a soft laugh and looked away. "Good."

The silence that found them had a brief but heavy presence. Minato glanced to the door handle and then up to Keisuke who finally faced him. The painter reached up a hand and pushed Minato's bangs out of his face. The locks fell back typically so, but the brunet just smiled.

          "Good night, Minako. I'll see you Monday for art club."

He nodded his head, and Keisuke left, placing his hands into his pockets.

 

Monday was a railroad spike that kept the strange, ominous feelings in place. Keisuke announced the next president at the end of the club day.

          "Everyone, I fear I've run my course in the club, but I've had a great,  _great_ time meeting all of you." Keisuke placed a hand on his chest and sighed. "I think I've settled on my future, so I'll be incredibly busy all summer. Because of that, I'm getting prepared as soon as possible." He looked to Minato before focusing on the other individual members. Keisuke's smile was as warm as spring. "Thank you all for everything."

The other students groaned and began to say their goodbyes. Someone offered to take Keisuke out to one last lunch. The others rallied for it, and Keisuke couldn't say no. Minato kept his distance, not sure he was ready to deal with this just yet, and glanced over his shoulder when the door jerked open. There Junpei was, grinning and taking up the entire width of the open doorframe.

          "Dude! Great news. Come with me  _now._ "

Minato blinked and looked back to Keisuke, who was helping clean up. Keisuke waved a hand at Minato.

          "Looks like we both have plans. I'll just see you tomorrow."

Minato hummed in the affirmative and pulled up his bag as he exited. Junpei threw an arm around his leader's neck once Minato was close enough and hurriedly closed the door. "Ooh, boy. Let me tell you something." Junpei then went on his excited tirade. The rant successfully pulled Minato's thoughts away from tomorrow. Tomorrow... a day that brought nothing but golden whispers and sinking feelings.

Minato's bond with the Fortune Persona was getting stronger. That alone was a definite tip off that something was going to happen, and it ended up being helpful during a Tartarus run. Minato knew that the surge would return to normal after "tomorrow". But first... 

He had to listen to what Keisuke had to say.

There was a steady, cool breeze outside. It was a welcome contrast to the relentless warmth of the Sun. Keisuke was already standing on the roof, gazing out towards the school grounds, a hand in his pocket and the other touching the fence. His hair rustled with the breeze as he waited for that particular someone to show up. He didn't wait for very long. The roof access door closed with a thud, and Minato sighed in relief at the perfect combination of warm and cool against his skin. Keisuke turned towards his companion and waited until Minato was closer before speaking.

          "It's just like I thought. My dad supports my art 100%. That means he's looking into studios taking exhibitions, mentors, credible colleges with a balance of art and academics." He laughed softly, staring down at the ground. "He's really stuck his hand in it."

          Minato smiled to one side, very briefly. "It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?"

          Keisuke nodded, humming softly. "Only a matter of time, but you see, that helped me. My father being obsessed with yet another thing I do, regardless of how long it took him, rang a bell with me. He's controlling if you let him be. That's just how he is and how he'll continue to be, no matter what I do."

Minato took a chance to walk closer to the fence and stared out towards the school entrance. Keisuke kept his eyes on his friend before doing the same.

          "Everyone would always point out how I was always ready to help other people. Even though I kept denying that I didn't want to be a doctor, I knew it wasn't completely true. To be fair… my father's overbearing behaviour made me think that this is what was set  _for_ me, not something that I would want on my own. Studying felt like a chore; thinking about medical school was a burden. And that line of thinking is what caused us to have our share of disagreements. I was too focused on him and not enough on myself."

          He opened his arms out, grabbing Minato's attention. "But I was meant to _be_ in medicine. I love to help people; I love how the human body works. How it breaks down and heals. There's an entire science – an entire life – dedicated towards assisting this process." Keisuke lowered his hands. "You helped me see that too."

          Minato stood straighter, turning to face him. "How did I do that?"

          "You were just you. You answered my questions early on; you _sometimes_ let me take care of you when you were sick." Keisuke flashed a bigger smile. Minato's lips tugged up in the corners. He lowered his gaze slightly. "When that man was in danger at the train station, you were my impromptu nurse."

          "Ah… I didn't do anything; just a matter of circumstance."

          "A circumstance that happened around you," Keisuke insisted, scratching his cheek. "Haven't we had this conversation before?"

          Minato smiled a bit and hooked his fingers in the fence. "Feels familiar."

He wasn't quite prepared for what happened next, but Bebe had set the bar for unwanted but necessary farewells. Keisuke's arms wrapped around Minato's body, drawing him close. A hand cupped the back of his neck, and the other arm surrounded the center of his back. Minato hesitated before wrapping his arms loosely around the would-be doctor. In the next second, Keisuke pulled back just enough so their eyes met. Minato fought to keep himself from looking away. Thankfully, the brunet's eyes squeezed closed in a bright smile.

          "I'll be busy... for a while. I'll be spotty in classes while I get my academic plans together, but we won't... see each other over the summer. I'll be signing up for an internship."

          Minato's fingers curled against Keisuke's blazer. "I'll have to text you to make sure you don't fall off the Earth."

          "Please do! I might forget myself." 

          "And to make sure you eat…"

          "Haha! You'll be taking care of me for a change."

Keisuke held the shorter student, hands shifting to Minato's shoulder and waist.

          "You're the most amazing person I've ever met, and –" He laughed gently, blushing as he looked away. "I really hate to leave you."

Minato's breath caught in his throat just briefly. Perhaps he should have expected it, but to hear it was another thing entirely.

          "If only we had more time," Keisuke added.

          "Don't make it sound like we'll never see each other again," Minato replied, voice low. The wind cooled his heated skin.

          "We will! We will, I'm sure."

Minato felt the hesitation against his body, and Keisuke drew away, adding a respectable distance. Minato placed his hands into his pockets, feeling more comfortable that way. The bespectacled aspiring med student adjusted his glasses.

          "I'll become a great doctor, so if you ever get sick, Minako, I'll take care of you. You'll get the  _best_ treatment."

          A gentle laugh. "Don't be so eager for me to be unwell."

          Keisuke rocked on his heels, grinning almost. "It's part of the job!"

The smiled waned a bit, turning softer and intimate as it did only when they were alone together. Keisuke pushed up his glasses again, a bit of a nervous habit, and made his way to the access door.

          "I gotta go. I've an appointment at six I can't be late for." He hooked his fingers on the handle and gave his attention back to Minato. "Look forward to your messages."

          "Take care of yourself," Minato offered, tipping his weight. "Don't make yourself sick studying too hard."

          A laugh. "Talking from experience?"

          A smile. "Maybe."

          Keisuke sighed softly and pulled open the door, holding it with his foot. "Bye, Minako."

          " _Later,_ " Minato corrected. "...Keisuke."

Keisuke smiled and nodded his head, disappearing past the threshold. Minato stood on the rooftop alone, eyes closing as the Fortunes sung high in joy and tugged on a cord of Minato's soul. The unbreakable bond was usually refreshing and uplifting, but this was the second time it left him feeling... a little less than complete. Despite the smile on his face, Minato curled his fingers tight in his pockets. He uncurled the digits as he headed towards the roof access door. He couldn't stay up here all day.

There was nothing left up here for him, except the wind, his memories, and the suspicion that there was _something_ that could have been...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is _incredibly long_ to make up for being in a horrible state this past little while. I'm trying to cut through a lot of projects, and I had no intention to make this story this long. I have an estimation of when this will end. I hope that the future chapters are still to your liking. 
> 
> I didn't plan on including my other social links, but — you know. What am I saying? This story got way out of hand, but I'm enjoying myself. I hope y'all are too.


	11. Twenty Fumbled Questions

Kendo practice definitely became her sole focus into the final two weeks of school. Minako hardly felt the shinai in her hands during practice. She didn't become obsessed with training; she wasn't uncontrollable. She had more of a handle on her emotions than that, but Minako would be lying if she said she hadn't been a little one track minded. Yuko noticed that Minako's gaze was distant, unfocused whenever she was spoken to. When practicing, Minako struck with precision – a combination of being in the club as well as using the skills she gained from Tartarus. Kazushi was the unfortunate recipient of her strikes; she hit once, immediately thwapped another spot, and fluidly reset to her starting position. It was best to say she was almost robotic. Kazushi hissed and recoiled at the consecutive hits. Minako took a step back and lowered her shinai, its tip level with her eyes.

          "And that's point," Kazushi laughed, bowing.

Minako did the same, bowing slowly and silently. When Kazushi stood up straight, he was frowning.

          "Hey, is everything -"

          "Mi-chan!"

Kazushi and Minako both turned their heads to the blond student sitting at the bench. He waved her over, and Minako walked closer without a word. Kazushi watched the two. Hiroki, she finally learned his name weeks ago, gently placed a hand on the bench as he talked with the blue haired student. Minako's head drifted to the spot next to him, and as she went to sit, he drew his hand back towards his lap. Kazushi's brow furrowed as Hiroki gently coaxed Minako to lean against him. She did so easily and let out a heavy sigh, body relaxing. Turning his head, Kazushi decided to get a new sparring partner. He would just talk to his friend after practice.

Or... not…

Minako had changed and dipped out of dodge before he could get to her. It didn't help that Yuko kept him and another student behind to admonish them for their rough play. The two bowed and muttered their apologies. Yuko ran her fingers through her hair.

          "You two behave. Thursday's our last day in the club, and I don't want to have to worry about you guys as well."

Kazushi managed to keep down whatever expression he was about to make.

  
  


Minako entered the dorm and barely noticed the greetings she received. She found herself pausing – or maybe just realised she had been standing still? – and turned her head towards Yukari, who began to speaking.

          "Are you feeling alright?"

          "I guess I..." Minako closed her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. "Today's been really hazy. Guess I'm already in vacation mode."

          "Man, who _isn't!"_ Junpei interjected, kicking his legs up onto the coffee table.

          "No one asked _you_ , Stupei!" Yukari retorted, shoving her companion's feet off.

          He jerked with the sudden motion, facing his friend. "Hey now. Don't be so mean, Yuka."

          Fuuka leaned back slightly in her chair, taking note of their leader, "Get some rest. Dinner'll be a little late tonight, so I'll let you know when I'm starting."

Minako nodded and tipped her head down, feeling something at her leg. She bent down and scratched her fingers over Koromaru's fur. Koromaru let out a happy yip and butt his head against Minako's, whining softly as he did. She ruffled his fur and stood up. Koromaru shook his body and sat down, peering up at her. When Minako focused ahead, Aigis was standing right in front of her. The blonde android reached a hand out, offering it silently. The blue haired student took the offering, fingers lacing together with Aigis'. It wasn't too uncomfortable; they had done it a few times before, by Aigis' request. They walked up the stairs together, away from the livened voices of their team. Ken was sitting at the rectangular table, papers spread out in front of them. He didn't seem to acknowledge their presence. He was a bit busy secretly playing Dino Commanders by himself. Minako smiled softly, but it faded when they passed by.

She leaned against Aigis' form, chin hooked on the android's shoulder. It awkwardly trapped their arms between their bodies, but neither was complaining. The close proximity and the arrival at their designation prompted Aigis to speak.

          "My senses indicate that you could use some company."

          Minako tipped her head to the left, resting it against the blonde's. "Your senses aren't completely wrong."

          Aigis reached forward, fingertips resting on the doorknob. "Then shall I accompany you?"

          "Please."

          "As you wish."

The door clicked open, and Aigis pulled her favourite objective through the door. Minako drew her hand away, placed her book bag next to her desk, and tossed her blazer over the back of her chair. She shifted over and closed the door. Aigis waited patiently on the bed. Minako walked over and came to rest next to the loyal android. Aigis rolled to her left, back facing the wall and placed her head on Minako's chest. The human sighed.

          "Is this position unfavourable?"

          Minako shook her head. "No, Aigis." She closed her eyes. "It's fine."

Aigis had her head tipped up, staring up at the other's expression before lowering her gaze. Deciding to follow the other's actions, she closed her eyes as well. The two laid in silence, even though several thoughts raced through Minako's mind. She couldn't really sleep, but laying down helped her feel more at ease. There was a knock at her door – she wasn't sure how much time had passed. Minako expressed permission and only opened her eyes when a body sat heavily in her desk chair. Junpei sighed through his nose, hands dangling over the edge of the arm rests. He maneuvered the chair closer towards the bed and brought his hands behind his head, kicking his legs up onto the bed. He crossed his ankles, eyes closing as he got comfortable.

          "So what's going on?"

Minako stared at him, quietly assessing if it was even worth talking about. She didn't really understand it herself. It was fine to be upset her friend was leaving, but. She shrugged up her shoulders. Aigis shifted her head a bit.

          "Just upset Keisuke's leaving, I guess."

          "Oh yeah, he _is_ leaving, isn't he?" Junpei rewound through his last conversation with the boy. "Finally gonna be a doctor, huh?"

          "Yeah..."

          "But that's a good thing, isn't it?"

          "Without a doubt. I'm just..."

Minako trailed off. Her gaze went skyward, staring blankly at the ceiling. Junpei eyed the leader before speaking again.

          "Did you like him?"

          "I could have," Minako stated, voice a bit lower, "but I'm not sure how I feel now."

          Junpei brought a hand away, holding up his index finger. "But what about that foreign kid? The one you had home ec with?"

          "Bebe?" She closed her eyes. "It wouldn't have worked out with him going back to France."

Junpei smiled a bit and went back to his comfortable position. He laughed softly. Minako lifted her brows.

          "'member the first time you talked about them? You kept talking about them like they were weird kids. You didn't even want to be friends with Keisuke at first."

          Minako laughed and placed a hand on her face, sighing against her palm. "I couldn't even remember his name."

          "Right?" Junpei grinned. "What did you used to call him?"

          "Ah... Don't make me repeat it..."

Junpei laughed and nodded his head, deciding to spare the other. He curled his toes, stretching his calves.

          "It sucks, I guess," Junpei said after a moment. "Having two of your friends move away. Or two," he motioned a hand behind his head, "whatever they could have been to you."

          Minako was staring at the ceiling again, fingers drumming on her chest. "Yeah."

          "I am here for you."

The two turned their attention down towards Aigis. She still had her eyes closed, a hand resting on Minako's stomach. They glanced back to each other and smiled. Minako nodded.

          "I know you are," she replied.

          Junpei shrugged up both shoulders. "Maybe you should date Aigis. At least you know she's not moving to France."

          "Yeah, but knowing my luck..."

Junpei laughed but agreed, choosing to change the topic for now while the mood was light. Twenty minutes later, Minako's phone went off on the desk. Junpei leaned back in the chair for it and read the truncated message on the home screen.

          "From Kazushi," he muttered, staring at the sender name.

          "Ah. Give it here." Minako reached her hand out.

          Junpei started to but then pulled his hand back, making a strange face. "He's not your almost-boyfriend too, is he?"

          "No, but if he were, he'd probably tell me he's going to the moon on Saturday." She quirked her fingers pointedly.

The brunet snorted and handed over the phone, adding an amused "Probably." He uncrossed his legs and pushed up into a standing position, stretching his body out as Minako unlocked her phone.

          _Hey uh wanna meet up later_

She flicked her gaze to the time – 7:47.

           _Tonight...?_  She cocked a brow as she sent the message.

           _Yeah if you dont mind_  
_I mean it makes sense if you would_  
_Its kinda random_

Minako tapped her finger against the body of her phone. Junpei was still stretching.

           _Where do you wanna meet up?  
_

_At the park uh at about 8????_  
_But like ok_  
_Im gonna send you the address hold on_

She reflected but didn't really remember Kazushi being such a 'nervous typer'. A couple of minutes later, her phone chimed with the new address. As she checked the directions, another message buzzed in.

           _But yeah sry if this is like kinda weird  
          You doin alright by the way??_

          _I'm fine._

           _Cool cool see you at 8_

_8:15, maybe._

_Awesome just let me know_

The conversation was a bit strange, but that meant she would have to skip dinner. She checked the time again. 7:50. The train would be leaving soon, and it'd take her another twenty minutes to get to the park. Well, it would be invigorating if she ran. Aigis sat up when she felt Minako move. She and Junpei were escorted out as their leader changed into comfortable clothes. It was 7:53 by the time she left her room again, and 7:56 when she left the dorm.

8:05 by the time she reached the station, and the train was doing last call.

8:06 when she fell into the seat, trying desperately to catch her breath.

8:10 when she sent  _"I'm on the train."  
_ 8:10:56 when she got  _"Leaving the house now"_.

By the time she reached the park at 8:30, Kazushi was still there, sitting on the lowest pull-up bar. He was swinging his legs leisurely, staring up at the starry sky. Minako rubbed her chest as she walked over the hill. The brunet shimmied his hips and slid off the bar, easily settling on his feet.

          "Sorry I'm late," she started, about to explain her situation.

          "It's okay," he cut in, shrugging up a shoulder. "I know you're across town, but I needed to see you."

For a second, Minako felt something funny in her stomach and grimaced. Kazushi tipped his head to the left, silently requesting that she follow, and in spite of feeling suspicious, Minako did. She wasn't sure what to think this encounter was going to be, but Kazushi was acting strange. She didn't think it was a love confession, despite his strange typing and the fact that he wasn't looking at her. Maybe being in Tartarus kept her a bit more alert when she was unsure. She was definitely appreciative of it. He sighed.

          "So what's going on?" he asked once they were a ways away from the entrance. He stopped and turned, elbow jerking towards the jungle gym.

          Minako's gaze went towards it. "What do you mean?"

          "Are you... you know, dating Hiroki?"

          She shook her head. "No."

          "Oh. Well..." He sounded disappointed. "That was pretty simple…"

          She stared up at him. "Why?"

          "I dunno. You've been acting weird lately. Well, I mean. For a while." He pulled his hand out of his jacket pocket and rubbed the back of his neck. "Since you came back? No. Since the red hair thing." He lowered his hand, staring at Minako in confusion. "And then at practice, you almost knocked my shoulders off. Is everything okay? You're not, like, mad at me or anything?"

Ah. 'Since the red hair thing'. She knew that he had been thinking it for a while and was wondering, between him and Yuko, when that was going to be brought up. Minako went quiet for a moment, and Kazushi tried again. He turned his back and kept walking. She followed after, soon matching pace at his side.

          "Who's Minako?"

          She was quiet still.

          He stared down at her. "Is that like a persona or something?"

She froze but then laughed immediately after. For a second, she thought…! Kazushi's brows inched closer together. Minako hummed softly, brow lifting in her amusement. She would have apologised, but she didn't particularly want to explain anything.

          "In a way, I guess."

          "So that's... Okay." He turned his head away. "Okay, ah. I don't judge you for... whatever that is. It's just a little weird."

Despite herself, Minako felt a spark of irritation roll through her chest. She brought her head up to him. 

          "Weird...?"

          "You and Hiroki. It's like, I don't know. You two are dating. He's just really, you know, really handsy with you."

The irritation slipped away, and she stared straight ahead. They followed along the gentle curve of the walk way.

          "I hadn't noticed," came the absent response.

          It made Kazushi sigh out loud. "This isn't going right."

          "What do you want, Kazushi?" The question came out harsher than she meant. She tried again: "What are you trying to ask?"

          He had the grace to hesitate. "- Why does he call you 'Minako'."

          "I'm not ready to answer that."

They stared at each other in a heavy silence. Minako was having a hard time believing that she came all the way out here just to be questioned. What, did he believe she was going to lie over a phone call? She pressed her tongue against her teeth and closed her eyes with a sigh. Kazushi paused before a moment, pressing his lips together before moving on.

          "And I know I'm asking you a lot, but seriously, are you okay? You damn near snapped one of my joints during practice."

          "Ah..." Minako lifted her head, staring over the brick wall towards a street-lamp-lit tree in the distance. "Sorry..."

          "Nah," Kazushi retorted, laughing. "It was kinda cool."

          "Just upset about a friend leaving." She scratched her neck, thinking on it. "I'm surprised I'm taking it this hard."

          "Well!" Kazushi breathed out, body slumping back some. "Saying goodbye to your friends sucks. It really does. Musta been someone you were really close to for you to shut down like that."

Minako sighed deeply, shoulders slumping again. Kazushi tipped his head down towards her, frowning.

          "Sorry," he stated. "I didn't mean to grill you."

          She waved a hand dismissively. "Couldn't have asked me from home?" _  
_

          "No, I, ah..." He stared at the ground as they slowly moved along. "Guess I had to see you, to get the questions out of my mind."

She nodded her head, trying to understand where he was coming from. They stayed quiet for a minute. Another question came for her.

          "So you're not interested... in Yuko at all?"

          "You should talk to her," Minako responded, lifting up her head higher. "I know you really want to."

          Kazushi blushed, blinking. "Y-yeah, but. That's not what I meant."

Minako couldn't help but laugh a bit. He was so transparent. If it wasn't for the fleeting moment of upset she felt earlier, she would have thought this was just some strange set up to ask about her feelings towards Yuko. She turned her small smile up to him. He relaxed visibly. They stopped again and faced each other. 

          "She's kinda into you. But she's been holding back because of some... things, I dunno." Kazushi looked towards the ground briefly. "You should probably talk to her, whenever you get a chance. If she asks you on a date, be gentle. Just... don't break her heart."

          The silence only lasted for a second. "Yuko's my friend too. I wouldn't do that to her."

          "Right... Right, I know. Just feels like it had to be said."

Kazushi flapped the jacket against his sides, looking away nervously. Minako stared at him before closing her eyes slowly.

          "If it helps, there is a reason I'm called 'Minako', but it's really not that big a deal." She motioned her hands in a circle. "Just... call it a nickname."

Kazushi felt himself starting a rebuttal, and Minako half-expected him to have one. Thankfully, for the two of them, he came up with nothing. Instead, he smiled softly.

          "Are we okay?" Minako was the one to ask.

          It caught him by surprise, but he nodded. "Yeah. Of course. We're cool."

          "I have a lot of stuff to do – end of the semester." The two navigated towards the exit. Minako brought her head up. "But I'll talk to Yuko when I get a chance."

          "Good. Ah... Lemme know how it goes?" He smiled sheepishly.

Minako smiled in return and brought up a hand. She gently pushed Kazushi aside.

          "Thanks for being concerned," she stated.

          He swayed slightly and righted himself. "Hey, no problem."

          She motioned a hand towards his leg. "And you take care of yourself, okay?"

          "Ah." He looked down towards his knee and smirked. "I'll do my best."

They said their goodbyes after Minako declined being walked to the station. When she was away from the park, she sighed heavily, feeling as though a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Well, that was certainly an experience. She probably would have taken a love confession instead. The very idea made her huff out a laugh. Minako pulled her headphones up around her ears and played music to distract her as she walked towards the station.

It was 8:50, and the train wouldn't be coming for another ten minutes. She sat down on a bench and leaned back, sighing through her nose. The conversation had been a bit frustrating, but she was glad everything was still okay between them. Kazushi was a good guy, regardless. He did check up on her, and she appreciated him trying to... get some answers. Good guy though he might have been, there was only one thing she wasn't sure she could fully answer yet. Her music calmed her down a bit, setting her up to relax for the rest of her night. Past the boundaries of her flesh, she could feel the tug of a bond getting stronger.


	12. Summertime Rememberance

School ended with great celebration. 

The last day of practice had been pretty interesting. Kazushi and Minato had an intense spar against each other and then teamed up together for a group challenge. Their team took a break and relocated outside for a while. They sat down against the back step, practice swords leaning against their legs as they laughed and reminisced. Kazushi placed a hand on his outstretched leg, creeping his fingers towards his knee. Minato watched as Kazushi's fingers halted and turned slightly towards the right, merely brushing over the joint. To anyone who wasn't paying attention, it was merely an idle movement. Minato turned his head away, shifting his feet idly. After the pleasant cool down, the group headed back inside to join the activities. It was the last day of practice after all.

After practice, Minato and Kazushi headed out for ramen. Their bond ended up strengthening as they chatted over the hot food. It caught Minato off guard. Compared to the other people Minato had known, their bond had formed pretty quickly. It was a bit shocking, and with summer fast approaching, Minato wondered if their metaphorical route was about to end. Kazushi pressed his hand against the table as he emphasised his opinion on something. Minato lifted his head slightly and was only half listening to his friend's rant. He was sure that school was a large part of what Kazushi was saying. Minato pulled himself out of his thoughts and ended up bringing himself back into the conversation by the end of their meal. His thoughts were going in a loop, but he was satisfied with the food, the company, and the bond. 

 

SEES activities had slowed down throughout the week. When the weekend hit, all the members were excited for it. Yukari and Junpei discussed their plans for the summer break. Akihiko was already revising his training schedule. Mitsuru was out of the dorms a bit more, saying that she had "matters to attend to". Typical of her and no one questioned it. On Saturday, she announced that they all would all go to the Kirijo summer home for a week. Now, that was a surprise.

          "What better way to kick off the summer than in luxury?" Junpei was elated. He slipped his sunglasses from the visor of his hat and put them on.

          "Got that right!" Yukari agreed, pumping a fist into the air.

Minato was curious and wondered if it would be okay to be away from Tartarus for days at a time. Upon voicing his thoughts, Mitsuru, Akihiko,  _and_ Aigis assured they had things under control. Minato thought to press but raised his hands, leaving that much to the three of them. Everyone packed and sorted their schedules. When everything was said and done, they were all set to leave on Monday. When the day finally arrived for them to leave, they all packed in the Kirijo provided charter bus ( – how fancy – ) and took off for the heiress' summer home. Aigis sat next to Minato as expected, and unlike the others, they sat quietly throughout the ride. Again, as expected. Minato listened to music for about an hour of their trip and spent the other hour and a half listening to the various conversations around him. Aigis leaned her head against his shoulder at some point, making herself comfortable as she laced their fingers together.

The group had arrived with great, almost literal fanfare. Fuuka lingered near the walkway stairs, holding her hair out of her face as she observed their surroundings. Secluded enough by the trees, but they still had an accessible pathway down to the ocean front. Fuuka closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. It was nice, getting to experience things like this. There were enough rooms for everyone to have their own or share with at least one other person, and then of course, there was the additional choice of everyone sleeping in the living room.

          "If we all choose the rooms, we'll have to sleep on the second floor," Mitsuru instructed, reaching up to tuck her hair out of her face. "The first floor is for different matters entirely."

          "So no snooping,  _Junpei_ ," Yukari stated pointedly, leaning her body in his direction.

          "Funny, I was going to say the same to you," came Akihiko's voice.

          Yukari was at a brief loss. "Y-you really don't think that I..."

          The upperclassman smirked and laced his fingers together over his shin. He leaned back on the couch. "So, are we going to hang out here all day or what?"

          "Right!" was the enthusiastic response.

Everyone came to their feet and headed out the back towards the cobblestone path. Ken and Koromaru went jogging along the beach, and Akihiko ended up joining them. Mitsuru found herself a tree to read under. Minato spent his time alone, sitting on the dock gazing out to the distance. He was surprised when Aigis didn't come to join him. When he looked over his shoulder, he saw her spending time with Fuuka. That was fine too. Minato's thoughts were all over the place, starting with some emotion filled, wordless void to wondering how his other friends were doing. He ended up taking off his socks and shoes and dipping his feet into the water. The water was a bit chilly and sent a jolt up his spine. Minato swung his legs slowly as he let his thoughts wander still. He lifted up a hand over his eyes when the Sun shone in his face. Eventually, he leaned back and closed his eyes, letting his hand fall over them. It was a great way to start the week with his friends' joy echoing in the background.

Minato roused from his unexpected slumber when he heard Mitsuru's voice raise. Not in anger but in surprise. Minato sat up and rubbed his face before looking over towards the source of the noise. Someone had taken notice of what it was Mitsuru was reading. There was a book in her hand, but from what he could hear there was something about "business" and a "pamphlet". Akihiko walked over to the group and placed his hands on his hips. Minato could only smirk tiredly at the scene. It was difficult trying to pull Mitsuru away from her business, but it was rewarding to see her blush when Akihiko hauled her over his shoulder. Sure, he was a little red in the face too, but somehow, him still trying to be stern and 'helpful' in spite of himself made the sight endearing.

Later that night, they had an outside barbecue.

          "We should totally camp outside," Junpei offered.

          Ken rocked back, holding his ankles in his hands. "That sounds like fun."

          "I don't think so," Yukari retorted.

Fuuka seemed as though she was thinking about it. Koromaru was off in the background burying something with Aigis watching over him. The group turned to Minato, who was staring out at the ocean.

          "'ey," Akihiko stated, "you're the tie breaker, what do you want to do?"

Minato thought for a moment and pointed to the guys.

          "Camping could be nice."

          "I'm going inside," Yukari retaliated, waving a hand dismissively. "I don't want to get sand anywhere."

          "It would be uncomfortable," Fuuka agreed, still weighing her options thoughtfully.

          Mitsuru smiled and closed her eyes. "Perhaps next time," she promised, "but for now, let's consider this as a.... typical bonding technique."

Aigis turned her head towards the heiress. Junpei nodded his head.

          "Yeah, no girls allowed." He motioned towards Minato. "One leader notwithstanding."

Ken laughed and complimented Junpei on his phrase usage. The brunet just rubbed the back of his neck and laughed. Yukari stood and walked over to Junpei, tugging his hat down over his eyes. She smirked, proud of herself, and turned around to follow the other girls. Aigis lingered, gaze settled on Minato, who just nodded. She returned the gesture slowly, turned on her heel, and left as well. Junpei let out a whoop. Akihiko smiled a bit and placed a hand on his hip. He mentioned something about the camping equipment. Ken lifted his head before going to help. Junpei turned his attention to Minato, attempting to put him in a headlock — only to have his plans reversed right back onto him.

 

There's running. And rain. The thunder boomed overhead.

It was raining inside of Tartarus, and they were trying desperately to catch up with...  _whoever_. At first, it was Keisuke. No, Bebe? The system was having a hard time of seeing. They reached forward, running side by side in the same body as they ran up. The rain was coming down, but they weren't wet. Whoever it was had black hair and was running faster, farther – beyond their reach.

A heart was racing, thudding angrily in their ears, but silenced when hands reached over their eyes. Hers and his - one vision, one singularity but constantly flowing easily between the two.  _"wake up"_  were just softly whispered words, almost endearing. And then laughing.

The laughter was much younger than the voice. It all came rushing back in images, pieced together — hastening as they built until they formed a puzzle. The eyes were so soft. There was a beauty mark under one of them. They remembered.

 

Minato woke up but was standing outside of the tent. His feet were underwater, ankles wet from the ocean. Aigis was clenching his wrist, staring with emotion that was too real to be an android's. But he wasn't going anywhere. He wasn't going any further. The moon was high and reflective in the water. Aigis moved closer and wrapped her arms around Minato's middle from behind. She hadn't said anything, but the carefully calculated squeeze had expressed her concern.

Pharos... Yes. Minato hadn't seen him in a while, or at least he didn't remember. From the flash of images, it would see that the young spirit (...?) was always there. Sometimes staring out at the Green Moon while Minato was away fighting or at the regular moon at the foot of Minato's bed while he was sleeping. Some images worked in frames, showing that Pharos was talking. If only the SEES leader knew about what. He brought his arms over Aigis' and stared out thoughtfully to the moon's reflection. He wasn't tired right now, but his heart was thrumming in his ears. He didn't think about how he got outside or why, but for some reason, he was just glad it wasn't raining.

          "How'd you know?"

Aigis was quiet for a few quick-paced heart beats. She turned and pressed her face against his shoulder.

          "I am not sure," she stated softly as though words failed her.

          Minato curled his fingers against her arm and closed his eyes. "Thank you."

Suddenly, he felt exhausted. He didn't want to be dramatic, but his body went heavy before he could stop it.


	13. One More Time for Those in the Back

          "Hey!"

A hand fell upon her back, and she jolted awake.

The classroom. School was over, but a few students were still lingering. Minako opened her eyes and looked around, blearily trying to take in her surroundings. School...? School-school? Like the place where she went to learn and get some kind of education? She brought up both her hands and pressed them against her eyes. If she was dreaming, her imagination was much vivider than she remembered. She lowered her hands and saw Junpei was staring at her.

          "Hey, you feelin' alright?" he asked, tipping his head.

          "Yeah. I'm just ah..." She stared down at her hands, lowering them completely to her desk. "Just a little tired."

          "Someone from kendo club is here for you. Ryoji and I are going to hang out, so I'll be back at the dorms a little late."

          "Ryoji?" The name sent a pang through Minako's body.

She wasn't sure why, but the name caused the various Personas to announce their presence as one uniform beat. She reached a hand up to her chest, resting it over her heart. Junpei grinned down at her.

          "Yeah, you know. The new kid! He transferred about– "

          "Three weeks ago."

The new kid decided to chime in at that moment. Minako lifted her gaze to him and stared. The yellow scarf was what initially caught her attention, but when their eyes met, there was that pang again. She curled her fingers against her chest briefly, brows furrowing slightly. 

          "Aah, I'm a little sad you don't recognise me," Ryoji stated. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "You know, I heard you're a hard worker, so I suppose it's understandable."

          Junpei checked his watch and jumped slightly, looking to the other brunet. "We should probably head out or we're going to be late."

          Ryoji nodded his head. "Right." To Minako, he just smiled softly. "We'll just have to catch up another time, Minato."

She let out a small noise in the affirmative as the two males existed the room. Her brows twitched together. It felt as though she was missing something, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Minako chewed her bottom lip in thought as she stood up. Oh right. Someone was waiting for her outside. She had best hurry. The blue-haired student gathered up her supplies and placed them in her bag. Her attention went to the students wiping down the white board. Without knowing why, she gave the board a once over and stared at the date. Something was... 

She pulled herself together and headed towards the classroom door. Ah, she was supposed to meet with Keisuke soon. She'd have to check her phone calendar. As soon as she stepped out of the doors, another "Hey" greeted her. She turned her head to the right and saw Kazushi walking closer.

          "Feel like sparring today?"

          "Don't I always?" she retorted, falling in step with him.

          "I never know with you," he responded, nudging his elbow at her. "Sometimes you come to meetings looking half-dead, and you still manage to kick some butt."

          "Like yours?"

          "Trying to start a fight?" Kazushi responded, tipping his head down to her.

          She couldn't stop the smile from forming. "I dunno. Are you going to do something about it?"

Kazushi scoffed loudly and turned his head away, muttering something about dealing with this at practice. Minako shrugged up a shoulder and just let it go. They would hash out their friendly little dispute on the mat. She could use the exercise. It would wake her up.

 

He checked his phone Friday in the middle of class. He was hanging out with Keisuke on Sunday, and he was seeing him again on Tuesday. Keisuke was diligently taking notes as were most of the other students. Minato wasn't sure why, but he felt confident in his knowledge of the subject. He lowered his phone down and then slid it into his pocket. A pencil eraser jabbed at his spine. He let out a noise as he sat up. The teacher spun around and placed his hands on the table.

          "Mr. Arisato! I'm glad you feel the same. Would you mind sharing another fact about shaman children?"

          Minato blinked before gathering himself. He shook his head slightly. "In some cultures, I think, children were obligated to take up shamanism. They believed spirits would kill them if they didn't."

          "Exactly that! Something so deep might come off as superstition for us, but for  _them —_!"

Minato stared at the teacher, waiting for his moment. He turned around sharply and stared at Keisuke with slightly wide eyes. Keisuke just grinned at him, wagging his mechanical pencil teasingly. 

          "Better pay attention, Minako," he stated lowly, sitting up in his chair.

Junpei snorted a laugh off to the side. When Minato focused on him, he was balancing a pencil on his upper lip. The SEES leader just rolled his eyes and turned around, focusing on the lecture. Friday afternoon came after a blur of academics. Minato rubbed his face, listening to his friends chat about what they had planned that day. Ryoji called for Junpei, who grinned at the sight of his new friend. Keisuke and Kenji exited the room at the same time. Junpei bounded out of the room, excitedly starting a conversation with Ryoji. Minato brought up the rear. He tapped his bag against his leg in thought. He didn't want to forget anything. Again. After checking the inside of his desk, he headed out of the room. Another presence shocked him. He almost let the bag fall out of his grip.

Kazushi linked arms with Minato as soon as he came out of the classroom. He laughed seeing the shorter student's expression.

          "You look like you've seen a ghost," he teased.

          "You scared the hell out of me," Minato stated, eyes falling closed briefly.

          "Ha. You can scare? I didn't know that. Gonna have to store that away somewhere."

          "Of course I can—  _hey._ "

          "Alright, alright. Good to see you. Blah, blah, blah. Let's go to the clubroom now."

Kazushi all but dragged Minato to the practice room. Minato was silent most of the trip. He was curious about what was so urgent, but ultimately, he just resigned himself to what was happening. He mentally checked over his list of things to do as they entered the room. Kazushi's steps didn't slow as they headed outside. Minato tuned into the situation and saw what lay ahead of him. Apparently, the kendo team had come together and held a little picnic. There were all kinds of food items, and it looked really good. He stared up at Kazushi.

          "I didn't bring anything."

           _"Obviously,"_  the taller practitioner pointed out. Kazushi drew his arm away and scratched his head. "This was a surprise put together by those two –" He pointed to two members talking near the door. "– and they made sure they were the only ones who knew about it."

          "They're pretty good at keeping secrets," Minato replied, focus setting on the food again.

          Kazushi hummed. "Too bad Yuko couldn't be here."

          "Yeah."

          "Ahhh, they've probably got that covered too." A thick hand slapped against the slender back. "Sit near me. I wanna talk to you about something."

Minato's eyes were set on the sandwiches and fruit spread when his back was smacked. Blinking, he nodded his head and followed after. They chatted with the rest of the team as they made their plates. Kazushi bit down into a carefully prepared sandwich and pointed to a tree. They headed over and came to rest under its thick branches with small grunts. Minato popped a few grapes into his mouth, savouring their taste.

          "Remember that injury I told you about?" Kazushi started.

          Minato tucked his food in one corner of his mouth and nodded. "Yeah."

          "Well... Ah." Kazushi frowned a bit. He lowered his voice as he spoke. "It's not getting any better."

          "You're going to have to take it easy," Minato replied, voice stern now. "You managed to keep this a big secret, but if you just keep pushing yourself, then what's the point?"

          His words were met with a groan. Kazushi leaned his head back against the tree. "I know, but there's a reason for it."

Minato stared at his friend and then sighed through his nose. He took a bite of his sandwich, letting silence settle for a while. He dusted the crumbs from his hands. Kazushi chewed his sandwich slowly as he stared up at the kind, blue skies.

          "So, what's your reason?"

          "Hm?"

          Minato tipped his head towards Kazushi's leg, the one he kept extended out while they sat together. "For putting yourself through this."

          Kazushi swallowed his food. He smiled a bit. "Haven't we gone over this before?"

          "Kind of, not really." Minato wasn't entirely sure. He was having a hard time remembering many things correctly. "Anyway, want to refresh my memory?"

          "What? I spill my heart to you, and you don't remember?"

          For a second, the blue-haired student felt bad. "..."

Kazushi let out a loud "tch!" For some reason, it made Minato relax visibly. The brunet reached over and slapped his friend on the leg, fingers curling on the drawback. Minato winced and touched his thigh with both hands.

          "I'll tell you later. I don't want to get all emotional eating sandwiches."

          Minato let out a small laugh, getting himself comfortable again. "What, you never tried it? I heard it was all the rage."

          "From who?" Kazushi retorted, pulling himself up to get more food.

Minato watched his friend go, gaze lingering on his back for a while. He tipped his head down towards his plate and stared at the few contents. He hummed softly. A breeze rustled the trees, though he could hardly feel it on his skin. Spring was a soft whisper of what was to come in a couple month's time. Minato closed his eyes and leaned his head back, silently enjoying the warm weather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Missed me? Things have been getting really hectic. I'm on a mission now to get this finished. So hopefully, I'll do some rapid fire updates. I finished off my P3F save last month, so I have a fresh idea of what I want to do. I might end up revisiting some old, old saves so I can walk around and get a view of the atmosphere.
> 
> This story has really evolved from my original intention. It's kind of funny, you know. It was supposed to be a few chapters long, just retelling some hilarious stories of how my playthrough went. Now it's a lot, a lot longer than I meant it to be. Are you still here? Thanks so much for that!
> 
> Let's go into the next chapter.


	14. Replay, Replay, Replay...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you're seeing this way late. I keep forgetting that the chapter publication date counts when you _started_ the chapter, not when you updated it.

It happened in a series of ethereal touches and meaningful looks. Minato shivered at Keisuke's innocuous touch in class. He pondered the dismissive words at the mall. But that day, on the roof, everything was quiet. The insistent voices of the Fortunes had dwindled down. There was a hug, more pointed looks laden with unspoken words. The atmosphere meant something, but Minato couldn't find the words. "Goodbye" became a promised "later". Even though they still had a year left of school, things had definitely changed.

Keisuke knew; Minato knew.

Going home felt strange but not devastating. Minato held the overhead bar with furrowed brows, music playing in his ears, body rocking slightly with the train's movements. Something felt off again. Something didn't feel right. He was in a dream-like state the entire ride and walk home. The doors closed behind him before he realised they were open. Everyone, save Ken, was downstairs. Aigis stood near the dining table, staring reproachfully in Ryoji's direction. Ryoji was unaware of her malice but lifted his head when the front doors clicked shut.

           "Minato," he called out. He stood up.

In the background, Aigis moved forward with a twitch but stopped herself. Minato lifted his head, seeing movement. He pulled down his headphones, took his MP3 player out, and paused his music. Ryoji smiled at him, head tilted slightly.

           "You're here?" Minato asked.

           "Just spending time with Junpei, getting to know the others too by chance."

           "By chance," the blue haired student repeated, tilting his head down.

A hand touched Minato's arm, bringing him back to the world. Ryoji's smile had softened just a bit. 

           "Perhaps you should rest. You look a bit tired."

           "Yeah, I..." Minato closed his eyes, bringing the heel of his palm to his forehead. "I guess I am."

           "I shall escort you," Aigis stated.

The two peered over towards her. She kept her gaze solely on Minato and extended out her hand. Ryoji laughed a bit and took a step back.

           "We'll talk another time then."

           "Mn." Minato punctuated the noise with a nod.

He stepped forward and took Aigis' hand. She gave it a very small, calculated squeeze and led the way up the stairs. Ken was sitting at the table with a cup of tea and a stack of books. On one of the open books was a tilted over toy dinosaur. Minato kept his gaze on the small male for a few steps but brought his gaze forward as Aigis continued her 'mission'. She opened the door silently. There was no hesitation.

           "Fuuka said that she will have dinner prepared soon," Aigis reported.

           "She did?"

           "Yes, a few moments ago." Aigis looked over her shoulder. "Did you not hear her?"

Minato shook his head slowly, once. Aigis met his gaze and stared at him unwaveringly. It lasted a few seconds, but under her scrutiny, time tended to stretch out. Minato pushed the door just barely closed with his free hand. Aigis pulled him over to the bed. She climbed up on it first. Minato took off his blazer, set down his book bag, and turned towards the bed. Pain jolted through his head and knocked him off balance briefly. He gripped his chest and squinted at the bed. For a second, he could see himself. When the pain was over, his imagined self was gone as well.

           "Are you alright?" Aigis asked, reasonably alarmed.

           Minato nodded. "Just more tired than I realised."

He motioned for her to relax as he began moving again. He came to rest on his back on the bed. Aigis laid her head on his chest. Minato stared up at the ceiling before closing his eyes.

           "Don't forget to wake me up when dinner's ready," he mumbled.

           "Roger."

Minato took a deep breath and slowly let it out his nose. As he took another lighter breath, fatigue began to lay over him until it finally made its claim.

 

Dinner faded into a morning, which turned into an afternoon. Several afternoons became the passage of time. Kazushi twisted his practice sword and swung it out at his side. The match was over. He bowed to Minako, wincing slightly as he did. She bowed as well, her eyes lingering on his leg for a moment.

           "Good match," Kazushi groaned as he stood up.

           Minako balanced her sword on its tip, hands clasped over the butt. "You feeling alright?"

           "I'm just giving myself a little push."

           "Maybe 'a little' is still too much."

           "Who're you, my mom?"

Minako rolled her eyes and turned her head away. She heard him start to speak, but he quieted almost as quickly. He was probably thinking too much – was that offensive? was she mad? – and she decided to let him stew in his thoughts for a moment. She was being playful, honest. She turned her head back to him and gave him a small smile. Kazushi had one hand on the butt of his sword and the other on his neck. He returned the smile nervously.

           "Wanna hang out on Saturday?" Minako brought her sword up and spun it around, gaze watching its movements. "Celebrate the last two months of class?"

           "You know it!" That perked Kazushi up. He moved his hand and clenched it into a fist. "Movie and the arcade?"

           Minako hummed and tossed her sword into the air. She caught it with her left hand. "Lunch, arcade, then movie."

The brunet watched the dexterous movements, dumbfounded. He came back to himself and then nodded.

           "Lunch, arcade, movie – sounds good to me."

           Another voice chimed in. "You guys making plans without me?"

           Kazushi stood up straighter at the manager's appearance. "Yuko!"

           "Hey, Yu," Minako greeted, laying her shinai against her shoulder.

           "Hey. So, when're you guys heading out?" Yuko asked, looking between the two.

           "Saturday. Wanna come with?"

           "If I can. But does that mean I can snag you Thursday?"

           Minako smiled and shrugged up a shoulder. "Thursday's free."

           "Thursday's  _mine_."

Yuko laughed and then brought her gaze up to Kazushi. Minako smiled at the way his cheeks coloured when his eyes met Yuko's. The redhead took a step back, silently excusing herself from their conversation. Kazushi could thank her later. She flicked her gaze up to the wall clock. Club had three more minutes before it was officially over. She could snag the changing room for herself before the others began to file in. Minako walked over to the wall and placed her practice sword away in the rack. Her fingers trailed over the swords already stacked there, briefly lost in thought. The redhead reached up and smoothed her hands over her temples as she went to go change. As expected, the changing room was mostly unoccupied. One of the other club members closed his locker and perked up, seeing Minako. He nodded his head in passing as he exited, casting a curious glance over his shoulder. 

Minako loosened the ties of her hakama, feeling her gi slacken as well. As her hands worked, she heard footsteps and froze. Her hands instinctively began winding the sashes back up again. Hiroki - blond, bouncy, and ever positive - blinked when he saw Minako standing wide eyed and statuesque in the changing room, hakama hastily tied around her waist. He hummed slightly and relaxed into a smile. Minako's shoulders slumped as she let out a deep sigh. Hiroki walked closer and placed his hand on Minako's shoulder. When she turned around, he backed her up against the lockers.

Well, this was surprising.

           "Hey, Mi-chan," he started. "I– " 

Hiroki saw a slight bit of movement that caught his attention. Minako's gi had loosened to expose her breastbone. He cleared his throat and sat back, motioning his hand towards it. She peeked down and righted her gi, thanking him under her breath. He looked away as she did, laughing sheepishly when she was done.

           "Well, that's a way to start."

           "So, what's up," she asked plainly, hiding her curiosity under a thick monotone.

           "Aah, Mi-chan, couldn't you look a bit more interesting? 'Hiro! What's wrong?' 'Is everything okay?'" He pitched his voice slightly, despite knowing that neither of them talked like that.

           Minako laughed softly, shoulders relaxing. "Is everything okay, Hiro?"

           "There we go. There we go!" He grinned then, his smile only fading a few seconds after.

They stared at each other. The silence between them was intense. Minako heard footsteps heading towards the changing room. There was the slide of sandals, and the footsteps hastily went the other way. She glanced to the side, wondering who it could have been, before looking up to Hiroki again. He bit down on his lip. She couldn't tell if he was nervous, thinking, or trying to seduce her. For now, she chalked up a tally mark next to all three.

           "Mi-chan, go out with me."

She lifted her chin slightly. Oh, was that it? She wasn't disappointed. Maybe a bit surprised. Maybe…? She turned her head away, expression falling. Hiroki hesitated a moment before cupping her chin and turning her head back. She allowed it. Their eyes met again, and her heart skipped a beat. He was a nice guy; he had been nice to her since they started talking more at practice. He lowered his posture a bit. She wasn't sure, but that emphasised the intensity of the moment. Now, they could see each other eye to eye.

           "Mi-chan..."

           "Sorry, I." Minako lifted up her hand, placing it on Hiroki's wrist. She closed her eyes and turned her head again, easing his hand away. He let her. "I don't think I can."

           "Still thinking about that guy?" He asked softly, still trying to be friendly. "Buuu. I'll find him. He broke your heart, Mi-chan!"

           That snapped the tense air. She smiled again, turning around to open her locker. "He didn't break my heart," she... lied? She pulled her clothes out of her locker.

           "Sure, sure. I'll give him a punch anyway."

           "In the arm at least, please."

Minako walked past him, and they smiled at each other. Hiroki watched as she passed by, heading to the bathroom. He pursed his lips together and sighed hard through his nose. He faced his lockers and tapped his knuckles against the door, shaking his head slowly. Minako watched him before bringing her attention away. She needed to go change and head home right after. Knowing Hiroki, he would probably want to walk her home. She figured she would let him – keep things from being weird. She was quick to undress, and as she slipped on her uniform again, she heard Hiroki greet someone. Kazushi's voice rumbled up in return. She glanced over her shoulder and pressed her lips together. She wondered how much he had heard.

After folding her kendo uniform, Minako headed out of the bathroom. She nodded her head to them as she passed by. They spoke in unison, offering to walk to the station with her. They looked to each other in surprise, and Minako laughed. All of the tension seeped out of her body. She agreed to walk with both of them and waited outside the changing rooms until they was ready to leave in a crowd of three.

 

Minato stared up at the ceiling, laying spread eagle on his bed. It was late, and there wasn't much left for him to do. He got all of his homework done: three essays, a project, two worksheets, and some reading. Seriously, all done. He thought about lying so Junpei wouldn't cheat off of him. His phone vibrated on his desk. The blue haired sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Get up? Stay down. Get up? Stay down. Get up...? His phone clattered on its space as he bounced back and forth between his choices. The phone stopped, making his decision to  _not_ get up even easier. The SEES leader laced his fingers together and stretched his arms up, listening to the satisfying pops that echoed out. He brought his hands down and then back, placing them behind his head. He laid there quietly, mind and surroundings still. He wasn't sure how much time had passed when a knock sounded on his door. He opened his eyes slightly as he expressed permission. Junpei stuck his head in. Minato jerked his head upward in a single nod.

           Junpei walked in, grinning at his companion. "I'm guessing we're not going to Tartarus tonight."

           "What makes you say that?" Minato asked, following Junpei with his eyes.

           "Because you're  _here_ slouching around." Junpei flopped into Minato's desk chair and turned it around.

The shorter student watched his friend before trailing his eyes away. He stared at the approximate location of where his phone was. It was hidden by the laptop somewhere.

           "Oh, can you hand me my phone?"

           "Is that all you want me for? To be your errand boy?"

           Minato shrugged, masking a smile that was forming. "I mean, if you're already over there..."

           Junpei shook his head with a deep frown. "Cruel, man. That's just cruel." He turned to grab Minato's phone.

Minato laughed a bit, moving a hand and holding it open. The device weighed down his palm, and Minato finally checked to see his missed call.

           "... You called me?"

           "I was trying to get your attention. And get you downstairs."

           Minato saw he had a text message too but let his phone rest on his chest for a moment. He stared a Junpei. "For what?"

           "Food, man! You forget about dinner?"

           "Oh, right," Minato trailed off, staring at his ceiling again. "I'm not worried. You saved me some, right?"

           "As if!" Junpei grinned placing his hands behind his head. "There's nothing really to save – because din's not ready yet. I was trying to get you to come downstairs, so you can put in your vote." He sat up again, draping his arms over his legs. "Also, Mitsuru had gathered us all up in the lounge."

           "Was it important?"

           "Not really." Junpei shook his head and sat back. "Just reminding us about the Full Moon Shadows. Though, I think if there's anyone she'll want to talk to about that, it'll be you. So keep an eye on that."

           Minato nodded and lifted up his phone, finally checking his text messages. "Hey, have you played this online... game...?" 

He was distracted by the text on his screen. He scanned over the message a few times. He wasn't misreading, but for some reason, he wasn't able to process it. He closed his eyes, gave himself a moment, and tried again. The message was from Kazushi.

            _Got some news from my doctor_  
            _Think we can meet up later??_  
_If youre not busy meet me at 10_  
_At the park_  
_Heres the address_

Junpei tilted his head at Minato, waiting for him to finish his statement.

           "Hey there. You alright?"

           "Hm? Yeah, I'm fine." Minato closed out of his messages and checked the time. 9:15. He sat up. "Just got a message from Kazushi."

           The brunet groaned and rolled his eyes. "He's not your almost boyfriend now too, is he?"

The words caused Minato's head to pound. He reached up both hands and held his head. He grit his teeth, doubling over. Junpei sat up quickly.

           "H-Hey, Chief!"

           "I'm fine," Minato breathed out. "I just sat up too fast."

Junpei stood stock still, still on the edge of anticipation, then all at once, he deflated. He sat back down in the chair and let out a loud  _phew_.

           "That was scary. Don't do that, man. We're not all crazy fearless like you."

           Minato turned his head and smiled at his friend. "I'll remember that." 

He moved carefully, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Junpei watched him with a careful eye. Minato noticed but didn't say anything. He waved his hand at his friend in a shooing motion.

           "Don't get comfortable. I'm about to leave."

           "When?" Junpei leaned back in the desk chair, staring up at his leader.

           "Now."

           " _Now_ now?"

           Minato placed a hand on his waist. "I think that's what 'now' specifies."

           Junpei stood up, giving Minato a strange look. "It's almost ten o'clock. Where are you even going right now?"

           The blue haired student wiggled his phone. "Friend emergency."

           "Oh."

Junpei stepped out of the way as Minato grabbed his jacket and his shoes. The two exited the room shortly after. They headed downstairs together, and Junpei made his way back to the lounge couch. Of course, not without a dramatic sigh.

           "Minato doesn't want to hang out with us," he told Yukari and Akihiko. "Instead, he's going to be a good friend."

           "Where're you going?" the upperclassmen asked, tilting his head back slightly.

           Junpei waved a hand dismissively. "Friend business. Gonna be Captain Hero or something."

           "Be safe." This from Yukari. She turned around, placing an arm on the back of the couch.

           Minato nodded. "I will."

He closed the front door behind him when he exited. Depending on what Kazushi wanted to talk about, it would be cutting it a little close to the Dark Hour by the time Minato left, but the SEES leader planned to cut the conversation short if it came to that. If anything, he would need to get Kazushi home safe. Minato would be fine out there.

            _Hope you don't mind. I'm coming early._  
_Train takes about 20 minutes._  
_Also, pun not intended_

 _lol_  
_Its okay. Lemme know when youre close_  
_Ill head out now_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, this post ended up being all over the place. Don't worry. We're getting to the climatic endings. Now that we've hit the high point of where I wanted to go. We can start skipping things and get to the last two love interests. Are you ready? I'm so ready.
> 
> Here we go.


	15. My Silence and Comfort

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy very late chapter update. Life really is a kick in the teeth! I hope you enjoy this.

Another goodbye to Kazushi and Yuko. Another… Yes, she remembered saying goodbye once before. There were two weeks left of school, and it was strange not having anything to do. Fuuka and Aigis would sometimes want to hang around after school, but other times, Minako was left to her own devices. She chewed the inside of her cheek thoughtfully, brows furrowing as she tried to figure out what was going on. Had she stressed herself out with school so much that she imagined everything? Did the Persona give her clairvoyance? She had so many questions, but she didn't bring up a single one to the others, especially with Ryoji hanging around more often. Minako didn't think he was a bad guy. He just…… She felt like……

She wasn't sure. Minato wasn't sure what to think anymore, _especially_ about him. About Ryoji.  Minako was grateful when summer vacation finally began.

A lot of their summer passed by in a haze. They left the dorms for a week or two. When they finally came back, they spent a couple of nights getting used to their beds before they started training again. Thankfully, it didn't take long to get back into the swing of things. Minako ordered a sweep of the last twenty floors they had been through. It was to get them all reacquainted with fighting but also to grab any of the sweet loot they could have possibly missed. Whenever Yukari wasn't with them, Minako donned a bow and arrow as her choice weapon. She wasn't really  _good_ per se, but she had the perfect excuse to get better. That and it was the best way to get the gold hand Shadows that occasionally popped up. Those things were so… damn fast. She once asked Mitsuru how hard she would have to train to be fast enough to catch up with them. The upperclassman just quietly pat her shoulder before walking away. 

They did take some nights off to rest, recover, and do other things. It was to keep them all from overworking themselves and pushing unnecessarily. If enough of them were too Tired or too busy to go to Tartarus, SEES just ended up staying home for the night. It didn't happen too often, so their nights generally fell into the same pattern. Today though, Minako found she was slow to wake up. She opened her eyes around 7 when her alarm went off, but she came into full consciousness around 10. She saw the sun rise higher in the sky from her unmoving position on the bed. Even after getting up and taking her shower, she still felt a bit sluggish. She tugged on a long flannel shirt to cover her white T-shirt. She slipped on shorts that fell right to the middle of her thighs. Best case scenario: everyone would leave the dorms sooner or later, leaving her to sleep face forward on the couch.

She headed downstairs and was surprised to see that Akihiko was the only one there. He was making something in the kitchen. Minako made a flatfooted beeline for the couch. She sat upon it heavily and drew up her legs, resting her chin between her knees. Her blinking was slow; she was still mentally fighting sleep. Akihiko stepped into the common room and smiled down at her. Well, wasn't he wide eyed and bushy tailed..? Minako grunted softly in greeting. In her mind, she debated on pushing him over. Maybe after he finished his drink.

          "We heading to Tartarus tonight?" Akihiko asked, leaning back against the couch and looking over towards Minako.

          "Yeah," she replied, the word leaving her in a sigh. "Everyone's been doing really well lately. We might be able to advance tonight."

          "Alright. Cool." The words were happy; there was a bit of a smile in his voice.

Akihiko took a leisurely sip of his drink. Minako let her eyes drift closed. It was incredible how heavy she felt. It's happened before during school a few times, but it was a bit weird to be this slowed down on vacation.

          "Everything alright?" Akihiko asked. Minako opened her eyes and saw him holding the cup an inch away from his lips.

          "Yeah, I'm fine," she replied. "Just really tired lately. Today's probably the worst of it."

          "If I had known you were comin' down, I woulda made you something to drink."

          "It's okay." She gave him a small smile. "Guess I just need to be active again."

Akihiko's lips curved up to one side, and she closed her eyes again. The silence between them was comfortable. It was lighter than the one she shared with Mitsuru or Aigis – far less immersive than her pauses with Fuuka. Being quiet around Akihiko required a clever mix of alertness and relaxation. Though it was always smart to stay on one's toes around him. Sometimes, he would try to sneak attack Minako just to test her reaction skills. She reflected on her first deep silence with Akihiko. The conversation had fallen away, but there was still this tension in the air as if there was something left unsaid. It persisted the entire duration of their silence, finally breaking once Akihiko said his goodbyes. It was uncomfortable, definitely, but it hasn't been the same since then. Minako wasn't sure when the shift happened, but she was thankful for it. Minako heard Akihiko place his cup down on the coffee table. A couple of seconds passed, the air filled with the shuffling of clothes, and Akihiko exhaled through his nose.

          "Your hair's getting long," he pointed out. "Plan on growing it out?"

          Minako reached up and blindly touched her hair. "I'm not sure what I want to do with it." She sat back and placed the back of her hands against her knees. "I thought about pining it up out of the way. Because of the summer heat, you know."

          "I get you," Akihiko responded. She could sense him nod. "I'm lucky I don't have to worry about that."

          Minako scoffed out a laugh. "My hair's shaggier than yours."

          "It is." Another laugh in his voice. He really was in a good mood. "I dunno. I don't usually see girls with your hair style. I think it looks cute on y—"

And the air went dead between them. Minako barely opened her eyes to stare at him. Hopefully, the smile she managed was knowing and didn't make her look drunk at all. Akihiko stared wide eyed at her, the telltale sign of embarrassment colouring his cheeks.

          "Not… that I'm saying anything… I just."

          "I think you called me cute, Mr. Akihiko Sanada."

          "I—!!!" Akihiko slowly pointed at her before dropping his hand dead into his lap again. "I may have said… something."

          "You said 'cute'." 

          "Hey! I should probably get to training, right?" With that, he set his feet firmly on the ground, reaching forward to grab his cup before standing. "If you need anything, I'll be upstairs, 'kay?"

          "I should probably go with you." She loosely crossed her arms around her middle, watching him round the coffee table. "I need to wake up a bit."

          "H-huh? No. You just…" He rubbed the back of his neck and let out a calming breath. "You just get some rest here. You said you were tired, right?"

          Her smile widened just the slightest bit. She pulled her arms apart and nodded once. "Yeah."

          "Then just relax for a bit. Day's still young – you can probably figure out something to do before we leave."

          She nodded again. "Yeah."

And with that, Minako gave Akihiko the mercy of letting him walk away from the conversation without a fleeting comment to follow him upstairs. She adjusted herself on the couch before figuring that it would be better to use her arms as pillows. Minako let out a heavy sigh and nestled her cheeks against her overlapping forearms. The silence was amazing, completely devoid of anyone else's presence, and the only presence she had to worry about was her own. The SEES leader fell into a pleasant sleep, enjoying her solitude before the riffraff came home.

 

No, there was definitely something off about Minako's sleeping schedule. Or rather, the way her body was responding to sleep? That was probably a better choice of words because her  _schedule_ was the same as it had always been. Except since she was on break, it was much easier to stay awake for an extra hour or so. Today, her body just wasn't having it at all. After her nap, she tried to pace herself throughout the day. Ryoji came over, and things were a bit tense between him and Aigis. Things went back to normal when Junpei and Ryoji left, but the hostility was still a bit thick in the air. It made Minako realise how long she had been inside and how stuffy it was. She needed to do something! She went for a walk, caught up with Ken, and walked home with him. While they were out, she found a beautiful pen on the ground. She twisted it in her hand but kept it with her as they walked. She cooked with Fuuka, chatted with Aigis about various topics of her fancy, and even changed her clothes. Twice. Minako felt a sympathetic hand on her shoulder and glanced back to see Mitsuru behind her.

          "I'll tell the others we're going to Tartarus tomorrow instead. You should take care of yourself tonight."

Minako thought to refute the older student's claim, but when she opened her mouth, she found she didn't have a proper reply at all. Instead, she sighed and leaned her forehead against the wall again. 

          "Thanks," she replied quietly.

          "Not a problem. And Arisato?"

          "Hm?" Minako tilted her head to the left ever so slightly.

          "Thank you for working so hard." Mitsuru brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "I feel you've been a great inspiration when it comes to these trips. You fight valiantly, and I'm sure that everyone else feels much of the same." She took a moment to pause, looking to Minako's single gaze. "That said, please don't feel as if you have to make this your single duty. You're allowed to have down time too. You won't get lazy."

          Minako smiled sleepily, blinking with the same sluggishness. "You never know. I just might surprise you."

          "You might," Mitsuru replied with a little smile. "But you won't – not in this way at least."

Once again, Minako found she didn't have anything to say. Mitsuru left her gracefully, turning away quietly to head back down the stairs. Minako eased away from the wall and the vending machines she was leaning next to and headed towards her bedroom. Since she had the night off, she might as well get her rest. Hopefully, she would bounce back before midnight, but even she wasn't counting on it.

 

Minato woke up and saw the sickly green moon in the air. It wasn't too late to head to Tartarus, but it felt like he didn't have a single bone in his body. His fingers weakly flexed at the end of his arm. He saw the digits twitch but didn't feel them as a part of his body. He was completely detached. Almost as if he was paralysed. Almost – he knew what that was like.

          "Hello again."

The greeting came at the end of his bed in a sugary sweet tone he was already familiar with. Minato's eyes went straight down to his feet. As expected, he saw a young boy in striped pajamas sitting at the end of his bed. Pharos, this wide eyed child prophet, climbed onto the bed and turned his attention to the sky. Minato wanted to do the same, but he felt it would be bad to look away from the child.

          "It's been some time since we've seen each other… hasn't it?"

The numbness left Minato's body and he was able to sit up slowly. As he did, he watched the young boy with an unwavering gaze. Pharos felt familiar – now more than _ever_ before. Pharos tilted his head and laughed gently.

          "That look in your eyes. Are you still wary about me? Or… could it be something else?" Minato turned his head away, but he could  _feel_  Pharos' smile. "It's okay. I understand. I don't think I've given you a reason to trust me." In the corner of his eye, Minato could see the child sit up straighter. "Ah. That light. Do you see it?"

Minato lifted his chin and stared out his window. He squinted at the strangely lit horizon. See… what? What was out there? As he leaned forward, he suddenly felt tired, and his arm almost gave out when he tried to support himself.

          "Oh… You don't yet." Pharos sounded sad, pouting with his words.

Minato glanced suspiciously over towards the child as he eased himself back down onto the bed once again.

          "But you will soon. Don't worry." Pharos gasped and kicked his legs back and forth. "Oh look! The Sun is rising."

Minato knew that was impossible, considering the hour and the tint of the sky. The minute he opened his mouth to say as much, he was immobilised once again. Fatigue pulled at his senses like a cruel beast. He was too tired to resist, and in the far corners of his hearing, Minato swore he heard Pharos say good night.

 

Sunday couldn't come sooner.

Minato bobbed Koromaru's leash in his hand as he headed out towards the park. He could easily stay inside and do some TV shopping, but it was good to get some fresh air. Plus, after last night, he didn't want to stay indoors any longer. Koromaru sniffed the ground in earnest as they made their way to the park. "Someone's in a good mood," Minato muttered to himself as he followed after the canine. Of course Koromaru was. He didn't have the night Minato did. That and he was generally a happy dog. He really liked the company of others. It was cute.

Once they were in the park, Minato unclipped Koromaru's leash and let him run free. "Don't go too far," Minato warned as the Shiba sprinted off. Who was he kidding. Koromaru was in hunt mode. He was probably going to hop in the nearest bush while on his little hunt. Ah well. Minato sighed heavily and wandered over towards a bench to sit down. It was a nice day; the air was crisp; the sky was open. The Sun's rays warmed his face, and Minato closed his eyes to enjoy it.

         "Ah. You look comfortable. I hope you don't mind me joining you."

The voice was quiet and breathy. Minato let out a soft noise as the figure sat next to him. He drew his arms back to himself and sat up. The person next to him laughed and grabbed his attention. Minato's heart skipped a beat.

         "I'm usually the only one out here around this time. I've seen you before. You helped the little girl that used to come here."

Minato nodded his head quietly, admiring the grey aired young man next to him. 

         "Are you a student too?" Minato asked, placing his hands in his lap.

         "I'm _sick_ ," the person joked. The smile was wide and unoffending. Warm, not unlike the Sun.

Their eyes met, and the stranger's smile subdued a bit. 

         "I'm sorry. I didn't tell you my name," he said. 

         Minato's eyes widened slightly, and he sat up a bit. "No. I took your space."

         A kind laugh. "Indeed, but still, I interrupted your quiet time, didn't I? Kamiki. Akinari Kamiki."

         "Minato Arisato."

         "Pleased to meet you."

They both bowed to each other a bit shallowly from their sitting positions. Once upright, Akinari motioned a hand towards Minato.

         "But _you're_ a student, I gather. Where do you go?"

         "Gekkoukan High."

         "A high schooler?" For a moment, Akinari looked surprised. He brought a hand up to his mouth and smiled behind it. "You look a bit mature for your age. I thought you were in college, surely."

         "I get that sometimes."

Akinari hummed quietly and was content to fall into silence once again. Minato allowed it, only to give himself a moment to look away.

         "I usually come here to write," Akinari began after a few minutes of silence. "It's been a good way for me to pass the time, but I recently lost my red fountain pen." Akinari looked down at his hands, opening the thin fingers out slowly. "My creative process has been a bit thrown off because of it."

A red pen? Minato patted himself down before standing up. He reached into his pocket and took out the pen he found the day before. Akinari's eyes lit up upon seeing it and reached out to take it. He stared at the item reverently and curled his fingers around it.

         "Welcome home, dear friend." At this, he looked up to Minato. "Thank you for finding it for me."

Minato nodded and sat down once again. 

         "Now I'll be able to continue on with my story. As a reward, I believe that I'll write something for the two of us."

         "Like what?"

Akinari was quiet for a moment. He gathered his thoughts as he twisted the pen gently in his hands. After a moment, he looked over towards Minato. His smile now had a touch of sadness to it.

         "The collision of light and darkness."

That was a surprise. It must have shown on Minato's face because Akinari's smile grew a bit before he looked away.

         "I know all about it, the darkness. I feel caught in its unyielding grasp, a permanent resident in its vice like embrace. The elementary student… Her face was illuminated with light and hope. Perhaps it's because she's young or maybe because you helped her, but I could see the light in her eyes every time she spoke to you. I can never imagine possessing that light, but I know its radiance well when I see it." A pause. "Can you understand how I feel?"

Their eyes met again, and the connection was immediate. Minato ignored the new feeling of fragility inside of him, and the warmth that blossomed with a new link. What he felt here was deeper than that. It was something so profound it was almost breathtaking. He placed his hands on the bench and nodded his head.

         "Yeah. I think I do."

         "I believe you, Minato." Akinari looked down to the pen again, and Minato felt the loss just as quickly. He brought his gaze down to his lap as Akinari softly spoke beside him, "Somehow, I really do."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll have you know that 5AM on November 2nd when I was writing this again, I had a very pleasant thought.
> 
> Minato: "My bras don't fit anymore."  
> Yukari: "H-how? No offense, but you don't have any—"  
> Minato _flexes and emphasises pectoral muscles_  
>  Girls: ………  
> Fuuka: We can take you bra shopping.  
> Minato: Thank you.
> 
>  
> 
> \----
> 
> Update: It's April 4, 2016 when I'm updating this again. My own author's note made me laugh. I'm so glad y'all are patient with me, honestly.


	16. A Smile That Keeps Me Going

After three days of near exhaustion, Minato was finally ready to go back to Tartarus. He told Mitsuru that they would leave Wednesday night. He would have settled for that night, but he wanted to get some actual rest in. That and he had plans to go shopping before actually heading to Tartarus as well. He needed new clothes, and then later on, he would have to go back when a  _particular_ store was open for business. He had some new things that he wanted to trade; he was itching to get rid of them. 

Junpei wanted to go out for lunch. For once, he wasn't hanging out with Ryoji, and Aigis was relaxed for the first time in… a while. Thinking on her recent behaviour, she was becoming more and more human. It was kind of nice. Ken volunteered to tag along with them. As they headed towards the train, he adjusted his beaded bracelet over his wrist, looping it around twice so it didn't fall off. A small, wooden talisman dangled from it like a charm. Junpei, noticing the new item, pointed towards it on the way to the train.

          "Hey, that's pretty cool. Where'd you get that from?"

          "Hm? Oh." Ken looked at his bracelet before looking up at Minato. "Minako got it for me."

          "Oh  _what_?" Junpei put on his best pouty face. "You never get  _me_ anything."

          Minato gave a small smile. "I'm playing favourites."

          "Not cool.  _Not. Cool._ "

Ken laughed, and Junpei leaned against the smaller male, bumping him over with a huff. Minato's smile grew a bit more as he watched them, glad to see them getting along. Not that there was a problem between them, but it was still nice to actually witness. As they passed the park, Minato couldn't help but glance over his shoulder. He searched the park before looking over to the familiar bench. He didn't see Akinari there and strangely felt disappointed. His lips parted the slightest bit, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he faced straight ahead and kept walking.

The train ride was uneventful. Minato stared out the window as his friends talked amongst themselves. He felt his phone vibrate and checked it nonchalantly. A social media update. He sighed softly. Again, there was that disappointment, but this time, he couldn't place the lack of fulfillment. Junpei let out a big noise of surprise when they arrived at the restaurant. Ken and Minato glanced over to him curiously before seeing the window poster that grabbed his attention.

          "They're having a challenge! Finish the 10 Star Lucky Meal and you don't have to pay!"

          "Can you even  _eat_ all of that?" Ken asked suspiciously.

          "Hey, don't doubt me, man. I'm a growing boy." Junpei slapped Ken playfully on the shoulder with the back of his hand. "And so're you. You might be able to do it too."

          "I'll pass..."

          Junpei scoffed before looking up at Minato. "You're joining though, right?"

Minato hummed and looked over the giant poster in the window.

                     _Pick three of our house special ramen with ochazuke and miso soup on the side._  
_Choose between bone, kelp, or dried seafood broth. Light or rich. Shio or miso seasoning!_  
                        _** Egg, mayu, mushrooms, and Bonito flakes can be provided upon request._  
  
          "Sure," Minato said, staring at the well-photographed tonkatsu ramen.

          Junpei snapped and broke into a grin. "That's my Minato! Alright, let's get in there and do this thing!"

          Ken gave a resigned sigh following after Junpei. "You two are going to have to explain to Mitsuru why you're too bloated to fight anymore."

          "Naaaaah. We'll be fine."

With that, Junpei pulled open the door and returned the greetings that came from within. Ken immediately headed to a table, mumbling something like "You guys're gonna pee so much" under his breath as he went. Minato joined Junpei at the service counter. Junpei rubbed his hands together excitedly and pumped himself up for the challenge. Minato just quietly stared up at the menu with the house specialties printed. There were eight different choices, and they all sounded so good. He rubbed a hand under his chin as he took a moment to think.

         Junpei glanced back towards Minato with a smile on his face. "You ready?"

         Minato met his friend's gaze and nodded. "Sure am."

With the smell of food wafting through the air and good vibes radiating off Junpei in waves, Minato felt his Confidence rise.

 

Minako always liked practical shoes. Sneakers were her favourite and she even liked dressier shoes, like Oxfords or loafers. Heels, though, escaped her. Once they went past three inches, she was completely at a loss on how to move herself. And yet, Mitsuru strutted about in them with a great deal of confidence. That's what went through her mind as she stared at the pumps on display at the mall. They were about seven inches too tall for her, but for some reason, she felt invincible just staring at them.

          "You're not gonna try those out, are you?" Yukari asked, a bit too incredulously, when she caught sight of Minako's focus.

          "Oh my," Fuuka piped up. "Those are quite tall. I wouldn't be able to handle it."

          "Me neither," Yukari muttered, staring at the items judgementally.

          "… Maybe," Minako said after a long silence. Stepping forward, she began looking through at the consumer boxes for her sizes.

          "Ah!? You  _can't_ be serious."

          "Now, now, Yukari," Fuuka interrupted, calming down the other female's surprise.

          "I won't buy them," Minako stated softly. Her attention was set on the boxed shoes in front of her. Once she found her size, she moved to sit on the bench.

Even though Minako's expression was cool, her heart started beating quickly in her chest. She pulled off her sneakers and set them to the side. She then took out the black suede shoes and felt nervous even touching them. Her thumbs rubbed over the material. Suede... How hard would these be to clean up? She shook her head slightly. No, she definitely wouldn't buy these anyway. She didn't want to have to worry about maintenance.

Minako set the heels down properly and carefully slipped them on one at a time. She secured the straps around her ankles and carefully stood up. She wobbled. Yukari and Fuuka immediately jutted out their arms to stop her from falling. 

          — "Whoa!" "Careful now!" —

Don't worry. Minako had this.

…… Surprisingly, she really  _did_ have this. Minako stared down at her legs and  _carefully_ began walking towards a floor mirror. She turned her feet this way and that, inspecting the shoes carefully on her feet. Pause. Turn around to look at the shoes from behind. Careful turn to look at them straight on again. 

All too quickly, Minako whipped her head over to her companions. Her eyes lacked any evident expression, but on the inside, she was practically sparkling and vibrating with unexpected pleasure. Minako pointed once at her feet. Fuuka glanced down at the shoes.

          "You like them?"

          Minako nodded.

          "Do you want to buy them?"

          Pause. Minako nodded again.

          Yukari looked at the box they came from. "Says here they're fifty bucks."

          "Chump change," Minako mumbled quickly and almost marched her way back to the displayed shoes.

She stopped dead in her tracks, realising the ease with which she was walking. Maybe her balance was just so honed that she too could walk effortlessly in heels. Oh no. She was in love — with the most impractical shoes she had ever worn to date. She was quick in undoing the straps and replacing the shoes in their box. She was starstruck even as she walked around the store to look for other things she wanted (and sorely needed at this point). She deeply, deeply considered getting a pair like that.

... Hm.

At the end of their trip, Minako walked away with another set of socks and stockings, sneakers, house slippers — thanks, Koromaru — and one new pair of stylish  _six_ inch heels. They weren't suede though. Thank Orpheus for that.

 

Wednesday came and went. To their unfortunate surprise, the Shadows mutated since the last full moon. Some of the more familiar 'faces' were a bit more nightmarish. The Shadows were stronger, more quick witted. It was jarring to say the least. It would have even been a bit worrying if Minako wasn't amped by the challenge. She swung her giant axe onto her left shoulder and called out orders for her companions to follow. Aigis, Koromaru, and Ken all spilt up at her command and flanked a particularly volatile Shadow. It still had one open path to run, but its attention was focused on the three newcomers. It was unsure of who to attack first. Koromaru growled low in his body, paws planted firm to the funkadelic patterned floor. The Shadow hissed at him violently. Before it could swipe at the Shiba, Ken shouted for its attention. Aigis intercepted as well when she saw the Shadow making a move for Ken. The cycle continued for about thirty seconds.

In that time, Minako conferred with Fuuka about scanning the floor further. The enemies here were just below the present SEES members' collective skill levels, but there were a few scattered about that were just strong enough to prove a challenge. This current Shadow was one of them. Minako thanked Fuuka before disconnecting with her. Minako gripped the axe with both hands and charged forward. She swung the heavy weapon over her head. Right when the Shadow turned to look at her, the axe came crashing down and forced the Shadow to take on its true form.

"I will not fail," Aigis stated as the team readied themselves for combat. Through the wafting smoke, Minako looked to the android and nodded. She believed in Aigis. The smoke coiled around their feet, revealing the new form of the Soul Dancer. Its shared heart head was larger and a deep red, bleeding down onto the male and female bodies. The rapier they held was spiked along its blade, and while it wasn't the most practical weapon, it looked intimidating enough for Minako to change everyone's attack strategies. The bodies of the Soul Dancer tapped their toes behind their standing legs before kicking off and dancing in Ken's direction. The young SEES fighter blocked a barrage attack with his staff, but his knuckles were bleeding from their swiping attacks. He hissed in pain; his eyes watered, but Minako threw encouragement his way as Aigis summoned her Persona to attack.

Koromaru took his time to heal Ken and effortlessly dodged out of the way of an oncoming attack. Minako outstretched her hand, preparing her next move as the enemy attacked again, this time going for Aigis. Minako listened to the numerous voices calling out to her, curled her fingers, and drew her hand back towards herself. Just as she was about to pull out her Evoker, Horus called out to her; its voice was so much louder than the others. She acknowledged the Persona and reached out her metaphysical hand as she gripped the Evoker. "Horus!" she shouted before pulling the trigger. When the Persona rose in front of her, strong and radiant, Minako felt a swoon overtake her. She swayed in place, watching as her Persona prepared its attack and finally struck out. The Soul Dancer squirmed at the blow; both halves latched onto the other desperately, and the floating heart head focused its attentions on Minako. As Horus faded away, Minako felt so much stronger. She curled her hands against her axe handle and promised herself to see Akinari as soon as possible.

  

         "For a while there, I was worried you didn't want to come see me."

         Minato shook his head and tugged nervously at his sleeve. "School. I promise. I'm not avoiding you."

         "Hmm. I miss being in school, being social. I had a peaceful life. My circle of school friends was very small..." Akinari cast his gaze to the side and sighed slowly. "But I suppose it doesn't really matter now, thinking woefully on the past."

         Minato leaned back against the bench and stared up at the sky. "No… It doesn't."

         "Oh. I wrote something for you just like I promised."

         "Ah. You didn't have to…"

         "Well, technically I wrote it for  _us_ , but I won't really need it."

Akinari pulled up a small satchel and opened it. He removed a thin, mini-notebook from within and handed it to Minato. Minato opened it and stared at the careful writing within. Some of the letters here and there were shaky, but all in all, the writing was immaculate and written in a painstaking matter. There couldn't be more than twenty pages to the notebook, and it was so neatly put together. Minato closed it and squeezed his fingers along the seam a couple of times. Satisfied with its seal, he set the notebook gently onto his thigh. 

         "Thank you," Minato said.

         "You don't have to treat it like it's priceless," Akinari joked as he stared at the notebook.

         "... But it is."

Akinari brought his gaze up and stared at Minato. Minato looked away briefly, embarrassed by what he had just said, but after a moment, he looked back. There was shock on Akinari's face, but the expression melted into a warm smile. It was a smile that warmed Minato all the way through. Even when Akinari was so distant and haunting during their initial meeting, there was that smile... It was like a reward. For what? Minato wasn't completely sure.

         "Thank you, Minato. ... You don't know what it means to hear you say that."

Minato waved the statement off and turned his head away yet again, looking to the notebook in his lap. Akinari relaxed then quietly closed up his satchel. 

         "I'm sorry; I have to go. I came out for a little break... but I've to go back to the hospital."

         "Hospital? Already?"

         "Mhm." 

Minato stood as Akinari did. He reached out to catch Akinari's elbow to keep the tall boy from falling. Akinari gave a weak laugh.

         "I'm sorry. My medication makes me a bit dizzy when I stand. I should be off it today."

         "Tell me how it goes next time me see each other."

         "... I will. And my story too. I'll let you know if I make any progress."

         Minato nodded. "Take care, Akinari."

         "I'll see you in two weeks, then? That's when I..."

         "Yeah." Minato cupped his hands together, holding the small notebook between them. "See you in two weeks."

         "Until then."

The soft, contained smile was enough to send a pain through Minato's heart. When Akinari turned away, Minato raised a hand to his chest and curled his fingers against his shirt. He felt his connection grow with Akinari, but he didn't need his Persona to tell him that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point, I just love leaving author's notes for y'all. I started this on April 4th, holy smokes. Y'all are really still reading this? Don't worry; I'm planning something special for y'all after this is all said and done.


	17. The Fragility in Our Connection is Strengthened by Our Struggles

It was impossible to sleep at the dorm.  _Impossible_. Phraos' visiting wasn't so much a problem. In fact, he was visiting less and less, but there was something about the night time that was throwing Minato off. He snuck naps at school, even sleeping on the roof whenever he got a chance. One time, he went back to Home Ec just to sleep a bit before going home. That was, unfortunately, the time he slept until _seven_ , but he managed to get out of the school easily enough. The lack of sleep was making Minato dysphoric. He stared at himself in the mirror that morning and was suddenly aware of everything. He could feel the weight of his skin; the bones in his body; the weight of his teeth gnashing together. He was aware of dying, of being alone in that room, of his flat chest, his expressionless eyes, his "other self" — everything. He was so aware of _everything_. He actually stammered back a few steps in the bathroom and hit the wall. It knocked a stunned breath out of him as he reached for the mirror again. His first instincts told him to call Keisuke. Actually pick up the phone and  _call_ him.

He stumbled out of the bathroom and made it to his phone, but the next thing he was aware of, he was in Junpei's arms. His close friend was rubbing his back, trying to keep him calm with the situation. Mitsuru watched from the doorway for a few moments, and Akihiko ran to town to get food and supplies to make Minato comfortable. Minato was stuck between himself and Minako, and his skin was tingling all over. All over. They, as a system, were just glad they weren't naked in all of this happening. That would have been embarrassing.

Minato's gaze was glued to the ceiling, but Junpei had managed to get him to sit on the bed with his back leaning against the wall. Mitsuru and Akihiko came to sit on the bed as well, gently trying to speak to Minato who was, well, catatonic for lack of a better phrase. Aigis came and was immediately on alert, trying to figure out what was wrong with Minato. "Minato… Minako…" She tried speaking to them, but the two names weren't registering to the leader. Everyone was worried. Akihiko nervously plucked at the convenience store bag he had brought filled with bentos, water, and juice bottles. After a tense thirty minutes, Minato began moving again. His mouth opened and closed. He blinked to bring back the moisture in his eyes. He felt like crying. It was a punch in his stomach, and he sat up straighter – only to double over. As he moved, he could see the four bodies sitting in his room as well. Mitsuru glanced over to Junpei, trying to gauge whether or not she would be the one to speak.

     "Hey, Chief," Junpei began instead, rubbing his hand over Minato's back. "How ya feeling?"

     "Hungry..." The leader said. He took in a breath, brows knitting together as he turned his head to the right. "In pain…"

     "Akihiko brought food." Junpei motioned to the bag, and Akihiko lifted it slightly to bring attention to it as well.

     "And I have pain killers if you need it," the boxer said after. "But you'll need to sit back."

     "Yeah..." Minato agreed.

Though it wasn't necessary, he let Junpei help him sit up and blinked away the tears that still stung the corner of his eyes. Akihiko took out the first bento and pulled off the outside packaging. Mitsuru parted the chopsticks when Akihiko stood and excused himself from the room to get his pain medication. Junpei kept a hand on Minato's leg before glancing over to Aigis. They shared a nod; Minato could see that in the corner of his eye. He shakily reached out and took the bento between his hands. He felt feeble, and strangely, he was a little upset at himself. He ate slowly and was surprised that he could maneuver his chopsticks even with the weak grip he had. Despite his sudden weakness, Minato was thankful for his own mobility. If someone had to feed him, that might have been too much for him right now. Thankfully – always thankfully – it didn't come to that.

     "I'll wait 'til you finish eating," Akihiko said once he had returned. "You're gonna need to rest after this."

     Minato nodded his head. "Thank you." He looked to the others. "All of you. Even Junpei."

     Junpei gave a small smile. "Hey, anything for my best friend."

Minato hummed pleasantly, glad to hear the words 'best friend'. They felt strangely reassuring to hear, especially right now. When Minato finished his bento, Mitsuru took it away, and Akihiko tied off the rest in the bag.

     "I'll write your name on this," he said before opening the pill bottle and handing over a thick, blue pill for Minato. "For now, take this. I'll leave another on your TV stand if you need it, but don't take it immediately after."

Minato nodded and took the first pill. He downed it with a swig of water, and soon, everyone left him alone. Just him and his maddening thoughts. Then him and silence… Finally, him and darkness. There was actual darkness by the time he woke up. He opened his eyes and looked around a bit fearfully, almost forgetting where he was and wondering what was wrong with time that made him feel so… off. He sat up and slowly came to terms with his surroundings. Okay. He was in his room. That was a good start. His phone was by his pillow and so he checked the time. 10PM — holy shit. He tapped the phone against his head and sighed. He saw he had a few text messages, but he didn't want to check them yet. He stood up and turned on the lamp beside his desk. There was a note on the floor in front of his door. He walked over to it, kneeling down slowly.  _Slowly_. It felt weird to move around. Was it the pill? Was it that spiral he had been in before? It was hard to tell.

           _We're going to Tartarus tonight. Something came up._

_Whether or not you wake up in time is irrelevant. Please get your rest; you need it._

__- Mitsuru K.__

Minato's lips twitched at the corners. He needed to get out for a while at least. If he was going to be stuck inside all night, he wanted to at least see the sky unobscured and get some fresh air. Just for his own sake, he took a shower and changed his clothes. He felt infinitely better. He grabbed his important belongings as well as his water before exiting out of his room and heading towards the main doors. No one was downstairs. It was a little strange to him. Actually, more than a little… It sparked a moment of panic in him that was all too reminiscent of earlier. Taking in a deep breath, Minato opened up the front door and exited out into the world. His brows knit tight, but a few seconds later, he relaxed completely. This was so much better. He felt as if the chains were broken. It wasn't usually that suffocating indoors, and yet, for some reason, it was tonight.

The SEES leader walked to the park, occasionally flicking his head to be rid of the blue locks that were obscuring his view. He thought back on how long it had been since he had felt okay. It had been a few weeks, at least. He briefly wondered if he should talk to someone about it. Minato rubbed his lower back with his wrist and frowned slightly. The others… they wouldn't really understand. He sighed and switched hands with the water bottle. He reached out for the left wall of the park as he stepped inside. 

Ah. Just there on the bench, Minato could see Akinari sitting there. Such a thin frame with his fingers laced together. His arms were resting on his thighs. Minato made his slow way over, touch-guiding himself along the wall until he pushed away to approach the bench. Akinari glanced up before doing a double take when he saw who it was.

     "I'm just as surprised to see you," Minato said with a raspy voice. He cleared his throat and sat down. "Are you out of the hospital? Back home?"

     Akinari nodded slowly. "For a little while… And what about you…? Why are you outside tonight?"

Minato thought about making a joke, but then he changed his mind. He looked to Akinari then out to the open air of the park. He turned his attention down to the water bottle as he fiddled with it.

     "I felt awful today. I just… needed to get out and get some air."

     "What happened… If you don't mind my asking." There was that gentle smile again, this time weaker, more tired, than the others had been. "If you don't mind telling."

Minato looked over and met Akinari's tired gaze. Guilt would have kept him from sharing something so personal; his own standard for secrecy would have done as much as well. But for some reason, he felt as though he needed to share. Akinari, in their short while of knowing each other, of meeting each other on any given Sunday, had been understanding and incredibly spiritual in a way that Minato felt… connected. Perhaps it was strange to say, and maybe he was being guided by unexplored feelings, but he spoke of what happened anyway. He answered any questions that Akinari had and was relieved when there wasn't judgement. Akinari's voice lacked any real tone when he asked his questions.

But he offered his hand and soon his space as they talked. 

They were sitting closer together, thighs touching, as Minato talked. He curled his fingers against Akinari's palm, soon stretching out his fingers and rubbing Akinari's index finger with his own. Akinari stared down at their hands before looking to Minato's face. The blue-haired fighter spoke slowly, softly. He was just as tired as Akinari felt, but when it was all said and done, there was a comfortable silence. Minato was glad for the silence. Akinari leaned over and rested his head on Minato's shoulder. Minato tipped his head and rested his cheek against Akinari. They stared off into the distance, thinking of their lives and thinking of each other.

     "Now I don't want to die," Akinari said softly. "I want to be here for you."

Minato's lips tipped down at the corner. He blinked quickly, but the action only served to spill steady tears down his face. He didn't want to bring attention to them, but he wanted to get rid of the tears before Akinari saw. Still, he could only reply honestly.

     "I wish you could stay alive too, but you can't…" He shook his head, eyes falling closed. "You can't…"

Akinari sat back to look at Minato, who turned his head away quickly. He laughed at himself and rubbed the back of his free hand against his cheeks. "Sorry," he muttered. He usually wasn't like this. It had been an emotional, startling day. Akinari made a noise in the negative; he reached out and rubbed his thumb against Minato's cheek, his fingers curled under Minato's chin. Minato stared at his companion's sad, smiling face and replied in kind. Akinari lowered his hand away.

     "You look like me now."

     Minato laughed in a huff. "Do I?"

     Akinari nodded, and his smile slipped away. He looked down to their hands and properly laced their fingers together, giving a squeeze. "You're the genuine article to me, Minato, in whatever form you take. Man, woman, anything else… For me, there's only life and death, light and darkness–" He met Minato's gaze again. "You and me, right now anyway. Read my stories as they are inspired by the life you live for me. I'm glad I met you, Minato."

They embraced. Their hands slowly pulled apart so they could properly hold each other. Minato spoke against Akinari's neck, even though the other could still hear him. "I'm glad I met you too..."

 

     "Where have you been?!"

Minato was startled by Yukari's voice when he stepped back into the dorm. She must have heard the news or was at least aware to some extent that Minato was feeling "unwell". She was standing with her hands on her hips, and everyone was looking his way. Ryoji was even here, leaning against the wall nearest the door. He must have been getting ready to leave soon as he only did that when he was. Minato looked around to everyone before rubbing the back of his neck.

     "I just went out. I needed to get some air," he said.

     "You sure you're okay?" Junpei asked, brows creased.

     Minato nodded his head, confidently. "I'm going to eat for a bit, and I'll go with you to Tartarus. I won't fight," he said quickly before anyone else could protest. "But I need to be there for my own reasons."

     Junpei glanced to Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis before consenting, "Okay…"

     "Should we leave you alone?" Mitsuru asked. There was a touch of concern in her voice.

     Minato nodded to her as well. "Please."

     "Alright. If you need anything at all, call for us."

Call… That word caused a moment of realisation in Minato. He gave a noncommittal grunt and went to the kitchen. He grabbed a bento out of the bag before retying it. He skipped on the juice and kept his water bottle as he headed upstairs. When he was safe in his room, Minato went to his desk to set his items down. He pulled out his phone and checked his messages. Messages from Junpei and Mitsuru. Fuuka sent him a text to ask if he needed anything from the store before dinner, but he was sleep at the time. Minato switched over to check his sent calls. Junpei… Junpei was his last call. It would make sense then why he 'woke up' in his friend's arms, but still. There was that hollowness in knowing he hadn't contacted who he wanted to. He tapped his teeth thoughtfully before passing on the idea. He didn't want to interrupt Keisuke with his studies, especially with something as shocking as this.

Minato brought his phone against his forehead. "I miss you…" he mumbled to himself. He set the device down with a small sigh and went to his bento instead. He struggled a bit with the sticker seal but when the food was bared to him, he was suddenly hungrier than he expected. He took his first bite of mixed rice and felt comforted by the taste. He stared outside his window as he chewed and hoped that Akinari made it home safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Romantic chapter. I'm so sorry. A two-fer for y'all for, again, being so patient and being excellent readers.


	18. A Spectrum of Suspicions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persona darlings! Hasn't it been forever? Ah, only two months? Feels like forever to me. As always, you all are amazing. I'm working on another large project, but I don't want to push this aside at all. If anything, we're almost done.
> 
> So! Let's valiantly finish this thing.

_Shit..._  

Minato remembered thinking that before a month passed.

_Shit…!_

Minako remembered that before two months had passed.

 

It wasn't as if they  _needed_ to see Akinari. It just did their heart a world of good when they knew that he was okay… when they knew that he was alive. The one Sunday they free to them was disappointing. Akinari wasn't at the park. Minako waited for a few hours, but he didn't show up. When Ken and Aigis came to the park with Koromaru, Minako pretended to just be lounging about. She kept them company even though there was an anxiousness in her. The next Sunday, she was happy to see Akinari sitting in his usual place. It was too bad she was heading back home after running a few errands around the school.

Minato's Sundays had been swallowed up by studying, gaming, and TV shopping. It was embarrassing, of course, but all of his TV shopping paid off in a new, unexpected link. Granted, he wasn't sure how he felt about meeting the sleazy salesman at the mall, but eventually, it turned out to be a worthwhile, er, 'friendship'. It was a connection there and finished pretty easily. Sure, Minato never really got his money back in  _full_ from the businessman, but he ended up learning a lot. The Devils didn't play well in his body now that they were stronger and restless. It took him a few days of interchangeably taking it easy and going all-out in the Tartarus to finally appease them. Or maybe, all of his running about was just a distraction while they stole his soul. Whatever happened, Minato was just glad that they weren't making him feel ill anymore. Pharos eventually disappeared, leaving Minato with a riddle. 

    "I never was great at riddles," Minato admitted, staring out the window with Pharos standing at the foot of the bed doing the same.

    The young boy smiled and focused on Minato. "It will take some time to solve, but don't worry, you  _will_ solve it. Great tragedy might befall you or you will be spared from immense heartache."

    Minato frowned slightly and looked to his bizarre but familiar guest. "What does that mean?"

    "It's a key to solving the puzzle. I can't stay any longer… I'll see you again – in a new light – soon."

Minato watched in silence, unsure of what to say that could follow that. He merely gave a slow nod. Pharos took it with a smile.

    "Goodbye, Minato. Be well until then."

    "Goodbye..."

After the young being disappeared, the atmosphere of the room completely changed. The air was stale, but somehow, there was a newness to it. Too new, like Minato hadn't lived there at all the past year or so. It was only the next morning when Minato took in the full atmosphere of Phraos' absence. He furrowed his brows and pulled the covers away from his body. He stretched languidly and stared out the window. School would be starting soon. He pressed his lips together and squinted at the cloudy sky. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about everything. He set his feet down on the ground and went about with his morning routine. Maybe the bad feeling would pass after he took a shower.

 _Or_. Maybe everything would feel infinitely worse after he got to school.

Minato placed a hand on his stomach; his other hand gripped the bathroom sink. His many Persona were rattling about in his headspace, sickening him down to his very soul and making his body feel physically ill. The SEES leader dropped down to his knees in the boys' bathroom, brows knit together and praying that no one would happen upon him where he was. He heard footsteps, feet scuffing against the ground, and a harsh laugh fluttered into the air. Minato stood and pushed away from the sink, staggering his way into a stall and shutting it closed behind him. He leaned his back against it and rested his head against the door as well. The footsteps trailed into the bathroom. The two unknown students talked loudly near the entrance before turning around and leaving again.

Minato gave a groan and slumped down onto his ass. He crossed his arms over his knees before resting his head against his forearms. He cleared his mind as best as he could before focusing on the Persona dwelling inside of him. They were all warning him of a greater threat; they were warning him, but it was merely a feeling. They were voiceless, rattling beings trying to protect him from some danger. But knowing that they had his attention, his Persona all calmed down at once. The Major Arcana found solace in his attentiveness. They were still restless, truthfully, but at least they were a lot more manageable like this. Feeling better, Minato pushed his back against the door and arched up his hips, giving himself enough leverage to push up onto his feet.

He pulled open the stall's lock and began out of the bathroom. He nearly ran into Ryoji on the way out. The two let out stunned noises, but then Ryoji laughed. It was a sweet, almost comforting noise. "Sorry," he said, meeting Minato's gaze. "I didn't notice you there." Minato stared at him quietly. He noticed that all the Persona within him fell absolutely quietly.

He could only take that as a bad sign.

 

More weeks passed of missed meetings, and Minato felt himself panic. It was enough to see Akinari in passing, but the fact that they hadn't spoken in a while made him incredibly nervous. What if he— Augh! He shook his head. There was no reason to keep thinking like this. He see-sawed his pencil between his fingers, letting its tip and erase tap against his desk rapid fire. He didn't feel like going back home. His dorm room still had that stale taste to it. It was almost as if a ghost was left behind. He wasn't sure if that's what he was looking for or if he really was imagining things. He sat alone his empty class room. His teacher had disappeared for a bit, saying something about the teacher's lounge and preventing a dumpster fire. Minato wasn't sure what to think about that, so he just kept studying by himself.

Someone pulled out the chair in front of him and then sat backwards to face him. Minato flicked his eyes up to catch Ryoji's gaze. The smile he received was so warm, almost too familiar. It reminded him of someone – of a couple of "someone"s – and so he brought his attention back to the table.

   "I've never told you how much I admire your strength," Ryoji said softly, resting his chin on his forearm.

   Minato furrowed his brows, still looking down at his history book. "What does that mean?"

   "It means what it means, I guess." Ryoji laughed, eyes falling closed as he tilted his head to the side. "Seeing you in class in your different forms… No, I guess it's the strength of your spirit that I'm really talking about. Do you know what I mean…" Ryoji opened his eyes then and stared at Minato with barely opened eyes. "Arisato?"

Minato paused what he was doing and met Ryoji's gaze. The smile he had lost its warmth and had taking on a slightly more knowing edge. Ryoji turned his attention to look outside, but Minato still stared at him.

   "I feel as if I'm missing something important, you know. I feel as if there's something between you and me, something I can't begin to describe." Ryoji's gaze softened, and he laughed quietly at himself. "What am I saying?"

   "That's what I'm asking myself," Minato replied quietly.

   Ryoji laughed again as he sat up. "Ouch, that really hurt," he joked. 

After a moment, he reached forward with his left hand and touched his fingers against Minato's right hand. Minato allowed it, and he wasn't sure  _why_ he was allowing it. The ghost touch of fingers left a ticklish trail behind as Ryoji traced his way down to Minato's fingertips. He placed his palm flat against the desk and moved it forward, slotting his fingers together with Minato's. It was now that Minato looked from their hands up to Ryoji. Confusion was evident on his face, though he found himself unable to speak.

There was a beat of silence before Ryoji let out a quiet sigh. "Sorry," he said and pulled his hand away. Without explaining himself, he stood up from the chair and pushed it back with one hand. He then looked out the window into the distance. Minato sat still, watching his classmate quietly.

   "I guess what I'm trying to say is… If I understand anyone's spirit, it has to be yours. Mine feels incomplete unless I'm around you. Somehow, being around you, I understand your strength. Though what strength that is, I'm unable to tell." Ryoji gesticulated, moving his other hand from his hip towards the open air. He then placed it against his chest and looked to Minato. "We're connected somehow. I feel that… this has to be the truth."

Minato frowned, but then he gave a nod. He felt as if he understood. Perhaps there would be a bond between them, but during all this time of them knowing each other, there hasn't been a single link. Not once since before summer. Maybe Ryoji wasn't "special" in that way, but somehow, Minato doubted that. Ryoji turned and quietly exited the class. After a few moments, Minato realised that he found it unfit to study there anymore. He wrote a note to his teacher, stating that he decided to head home. After gathering all of his items, he left the classroom and posted the note on the door. 

He tugged his bag under his arm and immediately began down the hall. He wasn't sure what this feeling was; it was something dreadful and lovely all at the same time, playing havoc on his head. He let out a groan of frustration as he trotted down the school stairs to the ground floor. He needed to call a meeting. Everyone was going to Tartarus tonight, and if not, he would gladly go at it alone.

 

In all of this, Aigis was the only one she felt she could talk to. She told the android exactly what was on her mind and what happened between her and Ryoji earlier in the day. 

   "He is dangerous," Aigis said. She had said as much on the first day Ryoji transferred to their class. Or at least… Minako thought that's what Aigis said. The memory came to her from some far off, hazy place. Aigis leaned over and placed her hand on top of Minako's. "You must stay away from him."

   "That'll be difficult," Minako said as she gently held the back of Aigis' hand. She turned Aigis' wrist and touched her free hand against the blonde's palm. She followed along the lines on Aigis' palm. Minako was impressed by the detail the blonde with which the android was made. "He's Junpei's friend; the others like him well enough; and we share a class with him."

   "Then I will protect you until the threat has passed."

Aigis was emphatic. She leaned forward slightly, and Minako met her eyes. Aigis brought up her hand and gently held the fingers that were trailing against her palm. In a very human motion, Aigis brushed her thumb against the back of Minako's hand. Minako double blinked quickly, feeling a heat come to her face, though no blush followed.

   "I do not trust him. I feel that he will only hurt you," Aigis spoke surely, trying to get Minako to understand her side. "If he tries to become closer to you, I worry about what damage he will do. Perhaps he does not know what he is doing, but I do not believe that is the case."

   "Aigis…–"

   "Minako. Please allow me to protect you when the time comes. I will not allow myself to standby while you are in danger."

Minako's lips parted, and she fell into silence. She lifted up her free hand and touched it against Aigis' cheek. Aigis' other hand came up, fingers curling ever so gently around Minako's wrist. 

   "I promise, Aigis," Minako said as she brought herself the slightest bit closer. "I know you won't let anything hurt me, and allow me to protect you in return."

   "Affirmative. If you cannot avoid the one named Ryoji, then let us at least stay aware of him."

   Minako gave a slight smile. "Yeah." She drew closer and kissed Aigis' forehead. "We can do that too."

 

As Aigis requested, Minako did end up keeping an eye on Ryoji. Whenever he came by the dorm, whenever they passed each other at school, and even sometimes in class, Minako found herself more aware of his movements. Though it would be untruthful for her to say that she was doing this entirely because Aigis had asked her to. She had her own reasons. The fact that her Persona reacted the way they did around him was enough, and that strange thing he said – that they were connected somehow – gave her enough of a reason to watch him closely. She wondered if he knew before scoffing to herself. At this point, he had to know. It was no coincidence that their eyes would meet sometimes when he turned his head. Absolutely none. If anything, she was just surprised that he hadn't  _said_ something by now.

Minako pinched the bridge of her nose between her fingers when she felt a hand touch against her shoulder in passing. She looked up to see Hiroki grinning at her. He waved his hand, and she gave a half-hearted response. God, seeing him reminded her that she had a lot of people to catch up with. Some were… understandably absent, but others still tried to chat her up whenever they could. She was so busy with school, Tartarus, and now this whole thing with Ryoji. She felt bad for mostly ignoring them. She figured that she would just set aside a day to get back to everyone. Saturday. Yeah, Saturday would be good.

The school bell rang again before cutting off abruptly. She looked up at the ceiling and heard a few laughs from a few students nearby. School was already over. Maybe someone just messed up in the front office. Suddenly, a hand curled under her forearm, drawing her away forcefully. When she looked over, she saw Aigis staring straight ahead in determination. Minako glanced back over their shoulders, trying to see if Ryoji was anywhere in sight. 

   "Aigis, what's going on?" Minako finally asked once they were  _all the way outside_.

   Aigis stopped and looked at her companion. "Did you not notice in class? He is getting stronger."

   "St… stronger?" Minako looked off to the side and then shook her head. "No, I didn't notice."

Her sense in that regard had been sort of "stuffy" lately. Lately, whenever Ryoji was nearby, his Persona would almost shut down into a hollow silence, leaving her bereft of feeling and unaware. Seemed that was the wrong answer to give. The look on Aigis' face was devastating. Mercifully, she drew her hand back to keep herself and clenched it and its twin into hard fists. 

   "I will tolerate him no longer! This must  _end!"_  Aigis stated harshly, drawing the eyes of people nearby.

   Minako stepped closer. "Aigis, please–"

Aigis then looked up past Minako, focusing her angered gaze on people behind her. Once again, Minako looked back and saw Junpei and Ryoji approaching. She looked back and was met with Aigis' back. The android hurried away, walking with stuff, unnatural motions as she forced herself to act remotely human. 

   "Aigis!" Minako called out before letting her posture slump slightly. 

   "Sup, Chief?" came Junpei's voice moments later. Minako slowly turned and looked to him and Ryoji. "Everything okay?"

   "She left in a hurry," Ryoji remarked in a low voice. He had his right hand slightly curled against his shoulder. 

   "She's just… annoyed at something that happened earlier," Minako lied. It was a half-hearted gesture. She didn't care if neither male believed her. "I'll just talk with her later."

   "Aww. We were going to ask if you wanted to come to the mall with us," Ryoji said as he towards her. He looked off in the direction Aigis had gone. "Maybe next time, huh?" He then flashed a smile at Minako.

She looked away from him. Something about his smile was wrong. It was too soft, too kind. She had seen him smile at other members of SEES and at different girls he was trying to seduce. He only smiled like  _this_ when he was around her. 

   "Well, guess we'll catch you later," Junpei said as he threw an arm around Ryoji's shoulders. "See ya soon."

   "See you," Ryoji echoed as he was pulled away from Minako.

Minako nodded her head to the two of them as they waked away. She frowned at their bags but dropping her bag down to the ground and sitting down. She didn't want to follow immediately after them as she didn't want to get on the same train. But at least she had a moment to think. Ryoji's smile. It wasn't like Bebe's… or Keisuke's…

It reminded him of someone else he so sorely missed...

 

There were no excuses that coming Sunday. No matter what, Minato made it to the park. He hurried through as much of his work as he could and headed down the stairs with quick and heavy footsteps. He wasn't appropriately dressed for the nippy weather outside. He wore a black thin turtleneck shirt with smoke grey form fitting pants and brown boots. It was perfect for the warm interior of the door, but it wasn't very helpful when he was outside. He heard someone call his name as he closed the door behind him, but he couldn't stop.

He ran all the way to the park, hoping that his negligence hadn't cost him someone precious. He prayed to whoever, to  _whatever_ , that Akinari would still be there. He slapped his hand against the stone wall of the park's border and made a sharp turn inside. He stopped, staring at the bench as he fought to catch his breath.

There he was… There Akinari was!

Akinari looked up in surprise, seeing Minato standing there just a bit away from him. Minato moved with hard steps towards the bench, walking over and through the sandbox, his fists tight at his sides. Akinari gave a weak smile as he stood up. "Minato, for a while, I didn't—" But he didn't get much further than that. Minato stopped in front of Akinari and stood up on his tip toes. He wrapped his arms around the slender neck, using his weight to coax Akinari down to his level. When Akinari was close enough, Minato met him halfway for a bruising kiss. Akinari hugged Minato's middle, drawing their bodies closer.

   "Thank god," Minato whispered when their kiss broke. He leaned forward, touching their temples together, lips within centimeters of each other. "You're still here."

   He felt Akinari smile and then a cold hand came to touch his face. "Don't worry. I wouldn't leave you. Not without saying good-bye."

Minato drew back to stare into those light grey eyes he loved so much. Akinari's lips twitched up in a broadened fraction of a smile. His thumb brushed against the corner of Minato's mouth. He then slipped his hand forward, cupping Minato at the back of the head to draw him in for another kiss. It was much softer this time, and when they pulled away, Akinari took Minato's hand and brought him over to the bench.

They sat together, and Akinari uncurled his scarf from around himself. He draped it around his and Minato's shoulders, tying it in the middle so they were kept together. They leaned against one another; Minato gave a small smile as he went to take Akinari's hand. 

   "I wrote something new," Akinari said softly. "Do you want to hear it…?"

   "Yes," Minato said, closing his eyes.

Akinari's head turned against his as he reached for a notebook out of his bag. Minato waited in silence; his heart was beating so hard and so fast. It was making his ears vibrate with each pound. Pages flipped under Akinari's slender fingers, and soon he began reading his prose out loud. It was beautiful, but more than anything, Minato just wanted to listen to the sound of his voice.

Midway through, Akinari gave a soft squeeze of their hands. Minato tipped his head back slightly to look at him. It was then that he was greeted with another kiss. This time, it was enough to make him blush. When Akinari drew away, he spoke the last line of his writing against Minato's lips.

    _"Lo, I would wait many years for a chance to see my Sun again; I'd dare to wait forever, if that's what it takes…"_


	19. Seven Bells of Tragedy

The atmosphere changed incredibly.

Aigis was acting more secretively, disappearing whenever she sensed Ryoji was approaching or becoming far too quiet for Minato's liking. He could convince her to come sit with him as he played video games after doing homework. Once, they watched movies together, but it was obvious just by looking at her how distracted she was. Minato almost gave up, but she placed a hand over his hand apologised.

          "I want to finish," she said plainly, making no other argument for herself.

Minato acquiesced, but he had the deepest suspicion that something was wrong. He didn't need his Persona, who rattled and cried out in a chorus, to tell him that. As a group, SEES buckled down on traversing through Tartarus. They didn't double back as much to search for loot. One group traveled as high as they could go before Minato took them all back to floor 220 to bring up anyone else who wasn't tired.

         "What about you?" Akihiko asked in the middle of a fight. He drew back his fist and slammed it into a Shadow's face. He sported a new part of gloves which were white and gold that had a golden spiked plate across the knuckles. "You should take care of yourself more. You're our leader, but you're also our friend!"

         Minato glanced over to the boxer before refocusing. "I'll be fine," he muttered, twisting a rusted grand axe between his hands. "Don't worry about me."

         "Minato!" Akihiko called out as his leader rushed forward. 

Minato gave an anticipatory pause before jumping up into the air. He swung the axe with his entire body, using the force and downward momentum help him in cleaving the Shadow in two. Minato dropped down to one knee, swaying dangerously. He raised his hand as he heard foot steps rush over towards him.

         "Don't be reckless," Yukari criticised as Minato came to his feet. "What're we supposed to do if you just collapse?"

Minato shot her a look before relaxing admitting that she was right. He decided that they would just scour the area for any treasures or additionally enemies. If there weren't any, they would regroup with the others and head back to the dorm. Satisfied with that, the others left him alone. Minato swung his axe onto his shoulder and began off in his own direction. He took a few steps before coming down on all fours. The axe fell away from his body; his arms and legs trembled with exertion.

He heard a sigh behind him and quickly looked back to see Akihiko slowly walking towards him.

         "Knew it was a bad idea to leave you alone…" he muttered, kneeling down to help Minato to his feet once again. Minato reached over to grab his axe, letting it drag behind them. "C'mon, 'Chief'. Not gonna leave you here to defend yourself."

Minato gave a bittersweet laugh and slowly trudged along with Akihiko. Akihiko left his leader to sit against a wall whenever he found a treasure or an enemy to fight. Minato kept his gaze on the ground until his friend returned. His head felt fuzzy; he felt like he was carrying too much weight. His brows twitched together. His chest felt tight. He slumped forward out of Akihiko's hold; he barely registered when the boxer had caught him and helped him down to the ground. Minato was dragged into a fit of unconsciousness. His chest hurt to high hell, and he tried to stay awake. In the end, it was futile.

He woke up in his room, brow damp with sweat from his fitful sleeping. He knew he wasn't alone. Akihiko was sitting at his desk, feet kicked up and chair pushed back. Minato started to talk, but then his voice cut out. He started coughing, fingers of one hand clenched against his covers; his other hand touched against his throat. Akihiko moved quickly to be at the other's side. He rubbed a hand against Minato's back while using the other to ease him into an upright sitting position.

         "Don't bend over. It doesn't help," he said gently.

Minato looked over to him with squinted eyes before turning his own head away and coughing again. When it was over, Minato nearly vomited. He gave his covers a death clench and then let out a displeased _"bluh"_ when it was all over. Akihiko came to sit on Minato's bed. his hand went from his leader's back to his forearm, idly holding Minato there for a few moments.

         "You okay now?" Akihiko asked with slightly raised brows.

         "Yeah," Minato raised. At Akihiko's disbelieving stare, Minato nodded his head, turning his hand to hold Akihiko's as the other male held his. "I'm fine. I–  _ahem._ I promise."

         "Uh-huh… Didn't I tell you you were pushing yourself too hard?"

         "Yeah…"

         "So…? What's this about? Why do you have a death wish all of a sudden?" When Minato looked down, Akihiko leaned forward slightly, trying to meet his leader's gaze. "Hey. It's just me. I'm not gonna judge you or something. Is it that bad?"

         Minato shook his head. "I'm just not sure what to say…  I just have this… this…" Minato lifted his head but still didn't look at Akihiko. He stared up at a corner of his room and gestured with other hand as he tried to find his words. "…this bad feeling that we won't be ready." He closed his eyes with a frown. "Augh. It's weak. I know, but—"

         "Hey, hey…" Akihiko tapped Minato's leg with the back of his free hand. "I didn't say that, did I? Plus, we've all got our hunches, you know. And I can't think of a time when yours has led us wrong."

Minato opened his eyes slowly. Akihiko gave a slight smile.

         "Whatever it is, I'm glad you're looking out for us. We'll be alright, yeah?"

Minato sat in silence, meeting Akihiko's gaze without an external emotion of his own, but soon he nodded his head. Akihiko gave a tug of their joined arms, coaxing Minato closer. He gave his leader a hug, patting Minato hard on the back before drawing away.

         "Relax. It's late. At the very least, get yourself some rest, okay?"

         "Didn't know you were going to be the next leader," Minato joked as Akihiko moved out of his bed. 

         Akihiko stretched, showing off the length of his body and the sculpt of his arms. "Nah," he groaned, relaxing down and placing his hands on his hips, looking to Minato. "I'll leave that to Mitsuru. We both know she's qualified."

         "More than." Minato reached up to rub his face. "Night, Akihiko…"

         "Night." 

Akihiko exited out of his friend's room, closing the door behind him as he went. Minato watched him leave and then slowly climbed out of his head, heading over to his desk. He sat down in the chair with a wince. His body felt sore all over, but he doubted he had the stretch to lift up his laptop and take it over to his bed. Tch, weak. As he lifted the laptop, the computer screen came on, and he sluggishly punched in his password. Minato squinted his eyes at the screen as the brightly lit desktop loaded up. He looked back over his shoulder, trying to search for his phone without getting up. It wasn't on his TV stand; it wasn't on his bed. He tilted his lips to the side curiously, but then eventually looked away. He'd find it sooner or later. Even thinking that, Minato tipped the screen of his laptop forward, trying to look around and behind it before propping up the screen once again.

He checked through his emails and forum messages, chewing the inside of his cheek as he browsed over everything. His eyelids started to feel heavy, and Minato frowned deeply. He just got up and he was already falling asleep again. "Come on...." he mumbled to himself, rubbing at his eyes defiantly before sitting closer to his screen.

He wasn't sure when his eyes actually closed or when he stretched out his arm to rest his head on it, but when he woke up, it was close to Sun up. Minato cursed under his breath and sat up, groaning as everything hurt and screamed in pain within him. He let out a long breath as he stood up on his feet and headed over to his bathroom. He placed his hands over his face as he crossed the threshold and took a moment to gather his senses before continuing with his day. His head was spinning; he felt as if he hadn't eaten anything in a while, even though it had only been half a day. Winter break was coming up, and Minato could almost throw himself to the ground in tired celebration.

He didn't though. He stayed upright and eventually lowered down his hands so he could go turn on the shower. He felt rejuvenated in the shower and stepped out feeling infinitely better. He wondered if he should head into town before school started so he could get something to eat. He dried and dressed and came to the conclusion that he would have preferred getting breakfast elsewhere. 

Minato packed his bag with everything he would need for the day and straightened out his bed enough to find his phone, which was lost in the sheets. He exited out of his room, feeling slightly better but not Great.

Well, he couldn't have everything.

 

Midway through the day, Minako entered the classroom after the lunch break.

         "Hey! I was wondering where you went. You alright, Chief?" Junpei asked as Minako took her place.

         "Yeah, just feeling weird," she said. Aigis glanced over to her and Minako continued with, "I just wasn't in the right headspace."

         "I feel you. I mean, lately everything's been feeling weird. Maybe it's just me."

         "It's definitely _not_ you," Minako said, furrowing her brows.

Class began, and immediately, Minako zoned out. She answered a coupled of questions when they were directed at her but had ultimately tuned out from the rest of the classroom conversation. She crossed her arms under her head and rested it down against the table. Her heart beat painfully in her chest. She must have let out some noise of pain because she felt Aigis' hand press against her shoulder. Minako turned her head and looked over to the android. She gave a small smile.

         "I'm okay," Minako said, but even to her, that sounded weak.

Aigis looked as if she didn't believe her, but she didn't follow up and soon returned her attention to the rest of class. When Aigis wasn't looking, Minako turned her head away. She moved a hand down under her desk and gripped at her chest. She grit her teeth, wincing in pain.

What was going on with her?

 

She was glad to make it through the school day, but she felt as if she needed to take another shower to clear her head. She began towards the stairs but soon felt a gentle hand on her arm. She turned around and saw Fuuka smiling at her. 

         "Do you want to prepare dinner with me? We… haven't had a chance to spend time together lately."

Minako almost wanted to deny but couldn't think of any reasonable excuse that didn't make her feel funny. She nodded her head and walked over to set her bag down on the couch. Fuuka waited for her by the door, and the two of them went into town to go shopping. It was nice, getting to spend time with Fuuka like this. Mostly, they were both quiet, communicating with looks and points and silent gestures. At one point, Minako turned her head, and Fuuka smiled at her. Minako returned it with a small smile of her own. Yeah, she was having a good time too.

When it was time to check out, Minako pushed their cart full of items towards the front counter. Fuuka laid a gentle hand upon Minako's arm and looked up to her. 

         "Is everything okay?" she asked gently, almost meekly as if she feared she was speaking out of turn. 

         Minako tapped her thumb against the cart handle before shaking her head. "I'm trying to be. I just feel… off."

         "How so?" Fuuka asked as they entered into the line. 

         Minako stared down at their items but eventually shook her head again. Words failed her. "I'm not sure. I just have this bad feeing that something is going to happen."

         "I'm sorry you feel that way... But... Is there anything I can do?"

         "No, Fuuka," Minako said, though she said it with a smile. "I don't think there is."

         "Well. I'm here if you need me, should that change."

         Minako nudged her friend with an elbow. "Thanks…"

Together, they set their items on the conveyor belt, and as they pushed their empty cart to the end of the line, a grocery attendant came by and took the item from them. Minako thanked the attendant with a nod of her head as Fuuka paid for everything. Afterward, the two gathered the groceries in their arms, each taking two bags, and headed out of the store. They talked as they walked back to the dorm. Fuuka enthused about a new book she found at the library and about new yarn she picked up to crotchet with. Minako mused aloud that she wanted to learn how to crotchet before Fuuka denied her.

         "I think you would be too good at it. Leave a hobby for the rest of us," Fuuka said, blushing slightly as she did.

         Minako gave her a warm smile before sighing dramatically. "You know, someone told me that same thing once."

         "Then it sounds like good advice to me."

They laughed. Fuuka's laugh was sweet and bell-like. Minako gaze at her for a few moments longer before facing straight ahead. They walked along the stone wall of a building – the Citizens' Identification Bureau, if Minako remembered correctly – and paused suddenly, seeing an orange cat cross their path.

         "Too bad our hands are full," Minako said with a slight smile.

         "Yeah…" Fuuka said with a sigh.

They approached carefully, and the cat, which had begun licking its paw, stopped and looked at the two of them. The SEES members slowed their steps, not wanting to frighten the cat. It moved as if it was going to walk away but then curved towards them, giving a cute little meow. Fuuka let out a sigh and tilted herself to the side to stare down at the cat as it began rubbing against her leg. The cat looped around and gave another meow, this time as it rubbed its side against Minako's calf. It stared up at the two of them expectantly, and they both gave in.

Minako and Fuuka lowered down to their knees, setting down their grocery bags onto the floor, and reached out their hands to pet and stritch the cat so long as it allowed it. It stretched out its front paws as it purred loudly from the attention. Fuuka tickled behind its ear, and Minako ran a hand along its back up to its tail. Satisfied, the cat trotted away through a narrow alley between buildings. Fuuka and Minako watched before gathering their bags and standing up again.

         "I wish we could have a cat too," Fuuka said. "You think Koromaru would be okay with it?"

         "He seems well-behaved. I think he likes cat," Minako said thoughtfully. "I don't know though…" Then she looked over at Fuuka, stone faced but with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Should we catch that one and test it?"

         Fuuka laughed in surprise. "Minako–!"

Minako smiled as they headed back to the dorm. Once inside, they set the groceries down on the dining table. Fuuka set aside everything she needed for dinner, and Minako helped by putting away all of the other groceries. Ken came in to watch at first but then was called upon for assistance when asked if he had anything better to do. Minako grabbed a stepping stool for Ken, so he could stand beside Fuuka. He carefully cut up the cabbage Fuuka had rinsed while Fuuka began mixing the sauces to marinate the meat in.

         "Minako," Fuuka began, turning back to look at her leader. "Would you mind cutting these up for me?"

She motioned to the wrapped chicken with her elbow. Minako made a noise of assent as she rolled up her sleeves. She started off by washing her hands first and then dried them with a paper towel which she tossed into the recycling under the counter. She stepped over to her left and pulled off the twine from around the chicken. The paper crinkled as she pulled it away, and soon she set the chicken onto the cutting board.

Minako folded up the paper as she listened to Fuuka and Ken talk amongst themselves. She gave a smile, slowing down her motions before she tossed the wrapping into the recycling and set to work on the chicken. The three of them made quick work of the preparation, having bowls and plates of prepared ingredients, most of which had been placed into the fridge. When it was time to cook, Minako and Ken followed Fuuka's every instruction like eager students. When she pointed this out, they stared at her with wide eyed determination and called her their teacher. The blush was cute against her pale skin, and Minako felt warmed by the sight.

When everything was done, Fuuka relieved Minako and Ken from their duties.

         "You both can have first servings of the soup," she said, "as a thanks for helping me out."

         "Alright!" Ken said, pumping his fist into the air.

         "I can't wait to wave that in Junpei's face," Minako said, folding her hands behind her back.

         "Make sure he doesn't get too riled up." Fuuka laughed.

Minako then left the two alone, heading upstairs to take that shower she felt she needed and relax until it was time for dinner. 

She had changed her clothes after her shower. It was more comfortable to wear a dark grey pinstripe turtleneck with a matching maxi-skirt and black leggings underneath. Her red-brown hair spilled over her right shoulder as she laid down on her stomach, playing a handheld game on her bed. Her phone vibrated against the mattress, and Minako flicked her gaze over. It was from Fuuka.

          _Dinner's ready. I'm saving you a bowl._

Minako replied with a quick _'Thanks'_ before grabbing her phone and sliding off the bed and heading downstairs. Ken joined her in the upstairs lounge, and the two of them walked downstairs side-by-side to the kitchen. Junpei was already sitting at the table, rocking back in his seat. He turned his head and watched as Fuuka served both Minako and Ken small bowls of soup. He let out a dissatisfied groan.

         "Oh, come on… How come they get special treatment?" he griped.

         "They helped me make this." Fuuka then wagged her finger at him. "If you do the same next time, you might get the same."

         "Naaaah." Junpei turned his head away and gave an exaggerated response.

Fuuka rolled her eyes playfully before turning away towards the food again. Ken went to sit down at the table, and Minako rested back against the counter, watching with a hooded gaze as Fuuka stirred the pot.

         "Do you want to go on a walk afterward before heading to bed?" Minako asked, flicking her gaze up.

         "Hm?" Fuuka looked surprised. "Oh… That'd be nice, actually. I'm used to taking walks by myself."

         "We should do that more then. I wouldn't mind."

         Fuuka gave a smile and a firm nod of her head. "Looking forward to it."

Minako finished her bowl and walked over to set it down on the table. Junpei then pointedly moved the item closer towards his chair, raising his brows as he looked to Minako. It was her turn to roll her eyes at him, but then she went back to Fuuka's side, gathering dishes to help set the table. Junpei took it upon himself to notify the others by running to the stairs and calling out with a loud voice that dinner was ready. It wasn't long before everyone else came down to join them. Koromaru brought himself under the table, sitting down in the dead center. Ken reached down with a full bowl and set it down in front of the canine.

This was the most relaxed Minako could remember any of them being. Dinner was a pleasant affair. Everyone shared jokes or talked freely about different things. This, well and truly, felt like a bonding experience. Everyone stayed seated well after the food was finished, just enjoying each other's company. Junpei and Akihiko stood up to pick up the dishes. At Akihiko's curious gaze, Junpei said, "Next time, I'll be the favourite." and headed to the sink. Akihiko gave a glance to the others before following after.

Minako shared a looked with Fuuka and Ken, who gave various expressions of embarrassment at the displace. She then stood up from the table, heading upstairs to go slip her shoes on before she returned. Fuuka had moved over to the couch where she was also putting on her shoes as well. Minako approached, checking her phone in the brief time she had before Fuuka was ready. They left the dorm together, walking in no particular direction as they chatted together. 

As they walked, Minako noticed that there was someone coming towards them. She hesitated a step when she realised that it was Akinari. He approached with a smile, his nimble hands tucked in his pocket. He had a bright yellow scarf around his neck; its tails were tucked into his winter jacket.

         "Akinari," Minako said when they were close enough.

         "I wouldn't have recognised you if it weren't for your voice," he said, pulling a hand out to hold her left arm. He smoothed his thumb in that spot.

         "What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be–"

         "It's fine," he said softly with a little shake of his head. "I'll be fine." He then looked over to Fuuka. "Hello. I'm Akinari Kamiki."

         "Fuuka Yamagishi," Fuuka introduced.

They bowed at one another, and Akinari looked to Minako. They shared a meaningful look, and he slightly quirked his head to the side. Minako shook her head before reaching up with one hand to pull him closer. They shared a brief kiss, and Akinari smiled against her lips.

         "See you Sunday?" he asked as he pulled away.

         "I'll be there," she said, letting go of his jacket.

He smiled to her before nodding towards Fuuka, who gave him a little wave as he walked away. Minako bowed her head with a slight blush as the two of them walked forward. Fuuka merely smiled at her friend before looking straight ahead.

         "I won't tell Junpei," she said with a laugh. "I don't think I could bear the thought of him teasing you forever."

         "I feel like 'forever' underestimates him."

         Fuuka laughed again. "Me too."

Minako smiled but then glanced over her shoulder, seeing Akinari in the distance. Her gaze trailed away from him only after great hesitation. She curled her hands into fists in her pocket and tried to push aside the heart-weakening sadness she felt in seeing him go.


	20. The Loss

Minako let out a sharp yell as she descended from the sky. Her long skirt flapped against her legs, revealing the black biking short she wore underneath. Her V-neck shirt stuck against her torso as she flew downward. She gripped the gilded spear in both hands and jammed it down into the final Shadow's head. It let out a sharp squeak of pain, hissing and spewing out dark energy into the air. Minako squinted her eyes closed, watching through her lashes as the final Shadow was defeated. She was in a partially kneeling position, trying to keep herself from flying backwards with the Shadow's energy. When the Shadow finally disappeared, Minako dropped down onto her ass, legs on either side of her. She leaned her head back and stared at the bright full moon overhead. 

The other SEES members ran up to her, calling out her name and asking if she was okay. Minako leaned her head forward and thrusted her right hand into the air, thumb up and slightly tilted back. Junpei slapped a hand over hers and moved his hand down to her wrist. Minako was mostly like a ragdoll as she was pulled to her feet. Junpei let go of her wrist before drawing her close for a hug. He threw his arm around her slender shoulders and exhaled sharply through his nose.

        "Bad ass," he said a bit seriously as he rubbed her back.

        "No kidding…" Minako muttered, looking over her shoulder to where the last Shadow once stood. 

Koromaru was sniffing around in the area, huffing quickly through his nose as he padded back and forth in one place. 

        "Is that it? Did we do it?" Ken asked, holding his small hands to his chest.

        "I think we did," Minako said in a tired breath. She reached the spear out and handed it back over to Ken.

Mitsuru strode forward, holding Minako's hammer in her hands. She made the weapon look so refined, but it also looked incredibly dangerous in her hands. Mitsuru had a few flyaways in her hair, but nothing that a brief touch up couldn't fix. Everyone else voiced their elation that this was done. Everyone except Aigis. She stared off into the distance, focusing on something else that had her attention. Minako watched her for a couple of moments before calling out to the android. When Aigis turned, Minako stuck out her hand, silently beckoning for the android to take it. 

        "If there's nothing else, we should head back," Akihiko said.

        Mitsuru nodded her head, agreeing with him. "Fuuka?" She glanced over to the shorter female.

        "I don't sense any negative energy. As it is, I think we're alone... Meaning, this battle is finished."

        "We can hope." Junpei then broke into a grin, leaning his head back to look at the others. "Hey, why don't we celebrate? I'm thinking we should get drunk."

        "Junpei…" Yukari groaned in exasperation. "Don't be stupid. Besides, where're you gonna get booze?"

        "I know a guy." Then to Minako, he lowly said, "Kenji owes me a favour."

Minako smirked and lifted her head, resting her chin on Junpei's shoulder. She could faintly pick up the scent of his cologne and wondered what it was. Akihiko let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck before dropping his hand away. 

        "Yeah, okay. I'm down for a drink," he said.

        Mitsuru raised her brow and then let out a soft hum. "I'll join then. I'll procure my own drink."

        "What about you, Yukari?"

        "Pass," Yukari replied, waving her right hand in the air.

        Fuuka gave a hum of agreement. "Me too. I think I'll just read for the night."

        "I'll join you," Ken piped up, looking to Fuuka. Koromaru barked his agreement. Guess he was joining them.

        Junpei then looked down and squeezed his arm tighter around his leader, jostling her slightly. "You're with me though, right, Chief?"

        "Right," Minako said, reaching up to pat Junpei's forearm.

They left as a unit, talking about their battle and all the time they had spent preparing for this moment. Minako's steps felt heavy as she trudged forward, wanting more than anything to lay down somewhere— her bed, the floor, the couch,  _anywhere_. Hell, she'd take the table so long as she could be stationary. Everyone speculated about what would be coming up next, and honestly, Minako had no idea. She didn't want to think about it too hard, so she just tuned everyone out as best as she could. When asked for her thoughts, she just let out a long hum and was soon left alone. Aigis laced their fingers together and brought herself closer to Minako. The two of them walked in silence, but with Aigis, it had some greater meaning.

        Minako turned her head and looked over to her companion. "Aigis. Are you okay?"

        "I wish to sleep with you tonight," Aigis said without turning her head. She then glanced over to Minako and asked, "Is that okay?"

        "Fine with me."

        "You two having a sleep over?" Junpei asked. He then gave a smug smile. "Or are you gonna— _Augh!_ Jeez, Yuka. That hurt."

        "Stop," Yukari snapped, her voice firm and authoritative. 

        "Too bad you've got Chidori, huh. Feels like Yukari's been your girlfriend forever," Minako said under her breath.

        "Augh. Come on, don't say  _that_ ," Junpei replied, slapping his leader on the chest. 

 

Minako was happy to get inside. Everyone who was drinking gathered on the second floor lounge, leaving those who weren't on the ground floor to chat and wind down. Minako pulled off her boots and socks at the door and walked upstairs barefoot, wanting nothing more to strip down completely and fall on her face. Of course, that wasn't appropriate behaviour, and she didn't want anyone walking in on her while she was buck ass naked and unconscious. That'd be a wild story, though.

She threw down her boots when she entered her room and went to her drawer to grab her pajamas. She could hear Junpei's voice as he emphatically remembered that Kenji would be "indisposed" tonight, at least for another hour or so. She wondered if that meant the drinking party was still on.

Minako changed into her pajamas and folded her clothes into hasty squares before dropping the bundle onto her desk. She then reached up and turned red-brown hair to blue and left that part of her identity on the desk as well. She pulled out her desk chair and sat down in it heavily. She rubbed her eyes and groaned softly, feeling a stress headache building up amongst other things. Her shoulders and back ached. Her muscles were tense all over. She swayed in her seat, and dropped her hands down to her face. It was then that someone entered into her doorway and knocked gently at her partially opened door.

        "Allll right! Drinks. are.  _on!_ Mitsuru bailed us out!" Junpei enthused. He walked over and dropped down onto one knee. He placed a hand on Minako's knee as he stared up at her. "Hey, you alright?"

        "'m just tired…" she groaned, lowering her arms down to her thighs.

        Junpei turned his mouth to one side and tapped her on the leg with the back of his hand. "Then rest, silly. Get some rest. You and I can drink some other time."

        "Yeah…" Minako smiled weakly. "Sounds good."

Junpei came up to his feet and gave her a small squeeze on the shoulder. Minako felt she was unable to move for a while but somehow found the strength to stand. She placed a hand on her chair, slowly walking around it and heading to her bed. She gave a sigh and laid forward on her face. She curled her fingers in the bedsheets, groaning softly as the mattress welcomed her form. Her door clicked closed, and suddenly there were warm against against her form. Minako opened one eye and looked to see Aigis helping her into the bed. Minako allowed the assistance, and the two of them managed to lift up the covers so they could both get underneath. 

Minako held onto the android and muttered something about not going to school the following day. Aigis rubbed her back and said that she will pass on the message to the others. As they laid down, they touched foreheads, Minako breathing softly through barely parted lips. 

        "Minako…"

        "H-hn?" Minato opened her eyes slightly, staring at Aigis as she fought to stay awake.

        "I'm curious… What do you think will happen next?"

        "I don't know, Aigis," Minako said; each word felt difficult to form. "Maybe everything will be over… Maybe we… stopped Nyx…"

        "Maybe…" Aigis lifted her head, touching her lips to the bridge of Minako's nose before laying her head down again. "I'm sorry. Go back to sleep."

        "G'night…" Minako whispered, not sure if the words ever formed and not even caring. 

Minako wasn't surprised when she woke up in Aigis' arms with the android fit snug against her back. She was a little surprised that her alarm hadn't gone off, but that must have been taken care of in the middle of the night. Minako placed her right arm over Aigis' and rested her palm over the back of Aigis' hand. She reached over with her free hand and tugged the cover up to her shoulder, falling back into the embrace of sleep rather easily. When she woke up again, she was on her back with Aigis' arm draped over her chest. 

Minako turned her head and looked over at her bedmate. She reached up her right hand, slotting her fingers under Aigis' cheek. She ran her thumb against the android's slender, slightly upturned nose and down over the surprisingly soft lips. Her lips were devoid of any real colour, but they were the  _slightest_ shade darker than the rest of her skin. Minako drew her hand back, fingers curling towards her palm as she continued taking in the blonde's features. Aigis looked peaceful in her sleep.

Afterward, the SEES leader pulled herself up into a sitting position. She let out a soft groan and reached up to rub her face. She looked out of the window and wondered what time it was. The Sun was high up in the sky, so it had to be somewhere near noon, right? Unsure, Minako drew herself towards the edge of the bed and slid off. She needed to get dressed. As she shifted through her drawer, she could hear Aigis waking up as well. "Morning," Minako greeted as she pulled her shirt over her head. She turned slightly so her back was to Aigis and pulled her black shirt from off the dresser.

Minako pulled on her new shirt and fitted it over her torso. She reached over to grab her other clothes before heading into the bathroom to change. During that time, Minako could hear Aigis getting out of bed. When finished, Minako wandered out to see Aigis staring down at her desk. The android turned her head and reached out for Minako's clothes. Curiously, the SEES leader handed the garments over. Aigis brought them closer to her form.

        "Relax today, if you can. I will take care of things for you."

        "You don't have to–"

        "I want to," Aigis stated. "It will be… relaxing for me too."

Minako sighed and turned her head away, slightly acquiescing to Aigis' will. The android came forward and kissed her cheek before walking around the room to gather dirty clothes and whatever trash she found. Minako watched as the blonde exited the room. Minako walked over to her bed and sat on the side. She checked her text messages, then her emails, and then her social networks. Nothing really caught her interest, and so she leaned back, staring up at the ceiling.

It was then that she felt something shift in her head. Minako reached up to cover her eyes. She took in a deep breath and let go of her control.

 

With Minato driving the system forward that day, things felt a lot different. Firstly, he was in a strange state of being completely chill while simultaneously being on his guard. Aigis was folding laundry on the third floor. Minato knew she was up there because of the… music? He leaned his head back as if he could see through the floor and tried to picture her as she was now. He let the image stay in his head as he slid down the railing with his hands in his pockets. It was still early in the day, and so no one came by the dorm yet. He made a quick breakfast downstairs: miso soup with an omelette and grilled salmon. Smelling the fish cook made his stomach growl softly. He placed a hand on his abdomen and shushed the air softly. It was almost done. No need to get impatient now.

When his food was finished, Minato made himself a little place at the table. He cut into his fish with his chopsticks and cut off a piece of his omelette to each the two together. He heard a sharp bark in the air, startling slightly before he looked to the right and saw Aigis and Koromaru coming downstairs. 

        "He was in Ken's room," Aigis said as she headed to the front door. "I'm going to walk him."

        _Have fun,_ Minato thought as he waved his hand with a slight curl of his fingers.

When the door closed, he was suddenly aware that he was well and truly alone. Somehow, that felt like pure bliss. Minato ate his breakfast and deeply enjoyed the silence. He swayed slightly with each chew, letting his eyes fall closed as he picked through his meal. When he was finished, Minato placed his chopsticks down and stretched his arms behind his head. He groaned softly, feeling his bones give a satisfied pop. He gathered up his dishes, washed them, and went back upstairs to enjoy his lazy morning before the others came back. Daytime television was unsurprisingly uninteresting, but he did his best to enjoy what options he had to him. He flipped through each channel, resting on his back and dangling his upper body over the side of the bed. When he felt lightheaded, Minato pulled himself back up onto the bed and let his head rest at the very edge. It was an interesting experience watching TV upside down. Made searching for channels that much more interesting. He soon came across a cooking competition; somehow, he lost three hours just watching that.

Somehow, he was okay with that.

       "Yo, yo, yo! Arisato in the hooooouse?" Junpei yelled, his voice cleaving through the silent dorm.

Minato was  _not_ going to yell. He reached for the floor and kicked his legs over his head. He tucked his legs towards his chest when he started rolling backwards, not wanting to kick his desk. He had almost done that before, and the near-pain experience was enough to get him to be careful every single time. He stood to his feet, leaving the remote on the floor as he walked out of his room. He came to the top of the stairs and placed his hands on both railings. Junpei was jogging his way up but stopped halfway when he saw Minato at the top. He broke into a grin.

       "And here, I was telling Chidori how you mysteriously passed away."

Minato lifted his gaze the front door where Chidori and Aigis were talking together. It had been a while since Minato had seen Chidori. She and Junpei hung out on sporadic days when he wasn't with Ryoji (which was also sporadic). There was one time Minato could have sworn he saw Chidori and Junpei upstairs one night when he was heading back to his room after a late night snack adventure. He never brought it up, but he was pretty sure that was her. Everyone else had scattered around the common room, quietly attending to unpacking their school bags or debating their next move for the day. 

       Junpei pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "Yukari's got the homework for you if you want it." He then pointed his index finger at Minato. "And you still owe me a drink night. We should totally hang out now that everything's over."

       Minato didn't even take a chance to think about it. "Sure."

       Junpei clapped his hands together and grinned. "That's why you're the best! Midnight! You, me, and a few cold ones."

       The SEES leader rolled his eyes and began down the stairs. "Please stop watching American TV."

       "No way, dude," Junpei said as he turned around and led the way to the ground floor.

Minato joined the others, nodding his head in greeting to everyone, even to Chidori who glanced over and nodded at him. Eventually, she and Junpei left, even as Yukari vehemently reminded Junpei that he needed to study for finals before break.

       "Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Junpei said as he made his way out the door.

       "Junpei, I'm seri—aaaugh." Yukari turned back around and threw her hands in the air. "Fine. Forget it. Let him fail! He'll learn his lesson."

       "i'm surprised you're still adamant about this," Akihiko said with a laugh, leaning over the back of the couch.

Minato came to sit on the couch to Akihiko's left, giving the boxer room to stay leaned over if he wished. Yukari sighed hard through her nose and flipped through her folder to pull out four sheets of paper. She handed Minato over the work with a frown on her face.

       "It's mostly self-explanatory. Wrote some notes in case you got lost," she said to Minato. To Akihiko, she just waved a hand. "I don't know why I bother. It's not like he ever listens to me…"

Minato tuned out most of what everyone was saying then, flipping through the homework pages with small interest. He let out a small noise before placing the work down on the coffee table. He'd get to it later. He wasn't trying to ruin his relaxing day with work, even if it was incredibly easy. Someone turned on the TV, filling the common room with idle noise, but when Minato saw that the remote was abandoned, he reached for it and switched the TV back to the cooking channel. It wasn't the same one he had on earlier, but it looked just as intense. Conversation between Akihiko and Yukari died down for a moment as the secret ingredients were revealed onscreen. 

Minato wasn't exactly sure when he drifted off to sleep, or even why. He was feeling fine all day, and he still had a decent amount of energy when he sat down. He was awoken by a gentle nudge to his shoulder. Minato's brows twitched together, and he looked to see that Mitsuru had a hand delicately placed upon his shoulder.

       "Fuuka and I are heading to the store. Would you like anything?"

Minato took a few seconds to regain his senses before shaking his head. He reached up and rubbed his eyes. Mitsuru laughed softly.

       "I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep if you wish."

Not that he could now, but he appreciated the thought. Mitsuru drew herself away, and Minato stretched once again. He glanced down at the table and groaned. Well, if he needed some way to pass time, he supposed homework was as good as any. At his request, Yukari handed him over a pencil, and Minato slid off the couch to sit in front of the coffee table. He drummed his pencil against the surface, mind narrowing in on the work below him.

This all felt so comfortable. He wasn't complaining about it. Everything felt so… normal. He supposed that this is what life was really like since they didn't have to worry about Shadows anymore. But there was that noticeable absence of voices and power that left him feeling hollow. He wasn't really sure how he felt about being normal if it meant missing all of that. He rubbed the back of his left hand under his chin and made a soft, dissatisfied noise. Well, it was bound to happen at one point, he guessed… He would adjust if he had to.

He just wouldn't like it.

 

When they all realised that the sky was still normal around midnight, the members of SEES all shared a moment of shock. The Dark Hour was really over, and when winter break was so quick to descend upon them, they all waited with bated breath for the sky to turn an ugly, toxic green colour. Without any Shadows to interrupt their late night activities, everyone picked up new hobbies. Their moods changed slowly; the quiet tension that everyone carried on their shoulders began to lift.

Even Akinari noticed a difference with Minato.

       "Maybe I'm just imagining it," he said with a slightly raspy voice, "but you seem calmer."

       "A major project of mine just ended," Minato said, looking up to the sky. 

       Akinari gave a small smile. "You should celebrate."

       Minato turned his left arm out to the side, tapping Akinari's arm with his elbow. "I am."

Everything was peaceful for the most part. With everyone in their winter get up, making plans for the holidays, and generally just hanging about, Minato had a chance to realise that this was happening. He expected the dream to come crashing down when Ryoji came to the dorm one day, but strangely… Nothing happened. There was no doom and destruction like he had expected, which only made things seem weirder to him. Minato also took the time to notice that up to and during winter break, Aigis and Ryoji were getting along better. The realisation hit him like a truck, belated as it was, but with the idea of no longer having to fight in Tartarus so fresh in his mind, many things he should have noticed a lot sooner were put on the back burner.

Seeing Aigis and Ryoji talking as if they had always been on good terms was what finally cemented this new reality in his mind. It took him a couple of days and nights to adjust, but finally, he had the idea in his mind that this was just how things were going to be from now on. 

He was actually rather surprised when that turned out not to be the case.

The disturbance came rather suddenly a week later. Minato felt the power of his Persona creeping up inside of him like a wave of nausea. It happened around the time that Ryoji left the dorm. He had stayed over late and didn't leave until around almost midnight. Minato was in his room, listening to his music when he felt the sudden need to just  _leave_. He moved as if he was compelled, not even aware that he had gone into the hallway until he was already there. When his senses returned to him, he saw Aigis charging down the stairs, heading towards the dorm entrance as if she were on a mission. Minato's every sense told him to  _Go. Follow_. And so he did.

He hastened after the android, following her as quickly as he could. She used her unnatural speed to cut through the air, but she was still visible enough for Minato to pursue her. He hastily switched between sprinting, jogging, and power walking along the way and pointedly ignored the stabbing pain in his chest and sides. He wasn't out of shape by any means now, and so his body was screaming at him to slow down a little bit. He did no such thing, of course, but he tried to give his body enough time to catch up before he broke into the next leg of his pursuit.

When Minato heard the sound of combat, he headed straight towards it without a single shred of fear in his heart. After everything he had witnessed thus far, it wouldn't be right to be afraid of any unknowns. The fighting sounds brought him to the bridge, and Minato wasn't entirely sure what he expected when he saw what was in front of him. He knew that Aigis would be there, and he suspected that Ryoji would be there, but actually having the two battling in front of him made him feel off. Like something just switched in his head.

Minato raised their hands to their head and let out a sharp scream of pain. They swore they heard the noise amplified by a male voice somewhere close by. _Ryoj—!_ Even saying his name caused another break in their head. To make matters worse, their Persona were calling out all at once as well. Minako shook their head, dropping down to their knees as the pain suddenly became overwhelming. They heard Aigis' voice— calling their name? It was hard to tell. When they opened their eyes, Minako saw that the sky overhead was a sickly and toxic green.

 _Oh no._..

       "I remember now…" Ryoji said, even though his voice was echoing in Minato's head. "I remember who… and what… I am."

       "As do I," Aigis replied, heatedly. "I remember what happened ten years ago!"

Ten years ago… The time sent another pain through Minato's head. They cried out again, feeling their voice leave their body in multitude. Something new grew within them, something heated and furiously strong. Minato placed their hands on the ground, taking a moment to capture their breath. They could hear Ryoji speaking; they could _feel_ him talking to Aigis, and the sensation was weird in their chest.

Minako stood up on their feet, swaying slightly as she kept them upright. The actual exchange of dialogue between Aigis and Ryoji was lost on Minako completely. Their head throbbed as a new power coiled within them. This new power came with an urging, a new mission for Minako to set upon, but it was hard to decipher it now. When clarity set in, it was cold and harsh. Aigis was sitting on the ground; steam spewed from her turbines, and Minato remembered running to her. Their hands went to her arms, trying to coax her into standing. She felt hot underneath Minato's hands, but they knew that the metal parts of her would be even worse. 

It took a moment of convincing before she was actually on her feet once again. Aigis swayed dangerously, and Minato held her face between their hands. Aigis' eyes were blank and unseeing, an unfortunate side effect of whatever just happened.

       "I'm useless… I've failed my objective."

       "You're not useless," Minako said, shaking their head.

       "So you admit that I have failed?" She asked then, brows furrowing as she took on a much more human expression.

She had been like that for a while, a lot more pliable, a lot more expression, a lot more natural with her personality — but Minato realised that this was a bad time to realise that.

       "I thought your mission was to protect me," Minako said, holding Aigis' gaze with their own. "And you haven't failed in that."

       Aigis didn't look satisfied by that response, but she gave in. "No.… I have not."

       "Let's get you out of here. Mitsuru can help fix you up..."

It was then Minato had another belated realisation. When they tilted their head, they stared up at a dark and starry sky.

 

Minako was incredibly grateful when Sunday rolled around. This was her only chance to get some peace of mind. In the previous days, trying to explain what happened to Aigis and Ryoji on the bridge made Minako's head and soul  _ache_. She tried as best as she could, but ultimately, they had to wait for Aigis to regain some stable functionality before everything could be revealed. Afterward, the concern then shifted to Minako and what part she played in all of this, and honestly, she just wasn't ready to deal with  _that_ just yet. As a leader, she had known to be both headstrong and forward thinking. She tried to approach everything fearlessly, but when it came to this subject, she exercised her infrequently used stealth skills.

She evaded everyone as much as she could before just finally asking for some time to think about everything. She was still piecing the even together in her own mind, and she was just now getting to the point where her insides didn't rattle whenever the situation was brought up. But Sunday, this beautiful Sunday, was her last chance to escape it all. She knew that she would have to go and face the music at some point. It would be hard to avoid everyone for much longer if there was something going on.

So when it came time to see Akinari, she welcomed the opportunity with open arms.

Akinari greeted her with a soft smile and a gentle kiss. He placed his hands on her arms. He seemed so fragile then. He looked the same as he always had, but seeing him now, Minako just had this sense… He had the grace to continue things as normal, to talk about his dreams, his work, and ask about Minako's day before delivering the news.

       "I'm not taking my medicine anymore," he said to her finally, tapping his thumb against the back of her hand. His lips quirked to one side and then he looked over to her. "Truthfully, I haven't for a little while— it's been a few days maybe— but I just wanted to tell you that I've stopped taking them."

Minako hesitated to ask why. She almost didn't want to know, but she had to understand. 

       "Why…?"

       "It's… too painful," Akinari said. "Dragging on this existence. I can't continue my day-to-day pretending that this treatment is doing anything for me. I want to stay here to create, to see all that the world has to offer me, but I can't. Without my medicine, things have been difficult, yes, but I also see things clearer. I feel happier. I feel… I feel as if I can live in a world without fear." He turned his gentle smile towards her.

Minako felt her heart break, but hearing it from his own mouth, she understood. Of course she understood. In her own dark and morbid way, she was sure that she would have done the same, though she might have done months ago. Akinari was strong in the fact that he held on for this long.

       "But I'm glad. Whatever borrowed time I have was also spent with you. Not machines or IVs. Just you and my story. I couldn't have asked for a happier ending."

       "Me neither," Minako whispered, though she didn't believe the words as they came out of her mouth.

She stared at their legs with knitted brows, almost frustrated with how she was feeling. Maybe she was just angry at life from tearing them away. No, that's stupid. She already knew the stakes. She knew, and she faced them head on. Fearlessly… But this was different. This was a new reality in which she had to watch someone else go off to die. She frowned, winced a little, and Akinari touched under her chin.

       "I told you I wouldn't leave without saying good-bye," he whispered, drawing himself closer. "And I meant it."

       "To be fair, you haven't said it yet."

       Akinari's lips twitched up with a small smile. "Maybe I don't plan on leaving just yet."

Their lips came together once again. Akinari moved his hand to the back of Minako's neck. She parted her lips for him, allowing his tongue to press against hers. At first, it was a shy engagement, but they took a uniform breath in and drew closer to one another. They worked their lips slowly against each other as their tongues caressed between their open mouths. They pulled apart for a second before reconnecting with a soft peck. Akinari touched their foreheads together.

Minako was surprised when her heart wanted him to go. Not to stay, not to  _not_ die. Just go. She knew that dragging this on would only be hellish for the two of them, but rushing him away would be the wrong thing to do. Akinari's thumb smoothed under her jaw, tickling some spot that made her sigh. His lips quirked up, and they opened their eyes to look at each other through their lashes.

It was time.

Akinari stood up, and Minako went with him. They stared at each other for a long while before Akinari gave his sad smile.

       "We'll see each other again… but not for a while, I hope."

       Minako reached up to grip onto his sleeves. "I like to live recklessly, just so you know."

       "Duly noted."

Akinari leaned down for one final kiss. They drew away slowly. He let out a broken sigh. Akinari began stepping back, and Minako let him. Her hands came down at her sides before she brought them together and wrung them nervously. Akinari paused and looked back to her, mustering up one last smile for her.

       "You've given me… so much more than I could have asked for. Thank you for making this world a little warmer for me."

       Minako felt a small smile rise with her inhale. "See you on the other side, Akinari."

       He laughed and turned away. "See you."

Minako almost wanted to follow after, to at least walk with him to the hospital, but she knew he wouldn't want that. They had gone a few places together, but she had never been  _there_. They both preferred it that way. She stood in one spot for a long time, feeling strange and empty. She looked down to the ground suddenly and turned away from the bench. After another ten minutes, she was amazed that she didn't cry.

But it only took a step forward and a sudden case of weak knees for her to realise that that wasn't the case.


	21. The Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we finish it.

Minato tried not to focus too much on his loss. Well, loss _es_ if he considered the overall scheme of everything. If he thought about the others he had cared for, but there was something in this that felt so incredibly painful. Akinari's death had a weight of finality that Minato hadn't considered before. The weight made him contemplative, made him think deeply on what he was doing and all that he had done. Akinari's death didn't make him fearful of his own eventual end nor did it make him cautious about his future actions. It would have been hard for him to explain his thoughts, but in the end, he felt sobered and heartbroken.

All of this he allowed himself to feel in its depths when he was alone. He was sightly thankful that everyone else seemed too busy trying to understand what was happening with Aigis to disturb him too much. Junpei walked down the stairs with his leader and nudged Minato in the arm with his elbow.

       "Wanna get some ramen? I hear they're having a special."

       Minato took in a deep breath through his nose and then nodded his head. "That sounds good," he said in a soft voice, closing his eyes.

       Junpei grinned. "Alright! Hey, Fuuka. We're heading out."

       "Oh!" Fuuka turned around on the couch, flicking her gaze between Junpei and Minato. She gave a small smile. "Be safe, you two."

       "No prob!"

Minato bowed his head towards Fuuka. She lifted her hand in a silent good-bye as the two exit out of the dorm. Minato closed his eyes briefly when he felt the Sun on his face. It was a nice day; the sky had clouds spotted here and there. When a thin cloud floated in front of the Sun, Minato opened his eyes and moved forward again. Junpei subtly slowed down his steps, allowing Minato to catch up as they headed down the street. When they neared the park, Minato steeled his gaze forward, trying not to glance over towards the open mouth of the gate or at the bench that sat empty and untouched behind them as they passed. The train ride was a welcomed comfort. Junpei was going on and on about the things he and Chidori had gone out and seen and done, seemingly unaware of Minato, who stared quietly out the window. Someone laughed, a sweet but loud sound. Minato's lips tilted downward as his thoughts went out far over the ocean to a land he had never seen and could not visit.

Off the train. Towards the stairs. Junpei gave a solid clap of his hands, and he took the stairs two at a time, hands finding the railing and tugging him upward. Minato followed silently, hands in pockets, gaze set low but neutrally. He came to stand beside Junpei, and soon, they entered into the shoppe together. Minato went to get them both a booth. Junpei already knew what Minato wanted, and if Minato wanted to change his mind, it was too late, he figured. His feet were already carrying him towards the right and into the middle section near the wall. He flopped down into the seat facing the entrance, rolling back his shoulders with slight discomfort. He closed his eyes, focusing on the soft trilling and singing he heard on the inside of his mind. His brows furrowed. The Persona have never sounded like that before. He dove deeper, trying to figure out what the source of the sound was.

It wasn't often that he willingly walked this astral plane. It was an ever-changing world pieced together by memories, perspective, and strange visions. In this version of the plane, Minato walked a jagged path with doors lining the way. Each door was emblazoned with the symbols of the Arcana he had connected with. Their doors shone brightly with the strength of their bonds. Despite wishing to stop and admire each ornate and unique door, he didn't stop, realising that the sound didn't come from any of them. In fact the further he went, the further away the singing and trilling sounded. But he kept forward, seeing that the path turned into a cliff edge. He paused only upon seeing a woman at the very end. But it was hard to tell who it was from his distance. He moved closer and immediately fell through the world. He tumbled, arms swinging, and just barely managed to flip over. Above him, he could see a toxic, radiant light. The noise came from there! But as five darkened hands exited out of the light, gripping the fabric of this astral world, the singing stopped.

Minato opened his eyes suddenly, jolting to life as he fell into his own body once again. Junpei walked over and slid into the seat across from Minato. He was staring at his phone with a broad smile on his face. He spun the phone around.

        "Look what Ken posted."

Minato leaned forward. Onscreen was short video of Koromaru partially laying on his side, almost rocked onto his back. The Shiba had his left back paw sticking up in a peculiar manner. Someone reached into frame and managed to balance a soda can on Koromaru's paw. Ken walked into frame from the left side, smiling down at Koromaru, who just tossed his head back and watched Ken. 

Minato huffed a laugh through his nose and leaned back in his seat. Junpei brought his phone back, scrolling through his timeline.

        "So what happened this time?" Junpei asked nonchalantly. Though he didn't lift his head and sounded a bit too casual, Minato could detect the faint softness of concern.

        Minato sighed through his nose, unsure he was ready to approach this. "I found somebody."

        Junpei set his phone down on its face and crossed his arms on the edge of the table. "Yeah?"

        A slow nod. "A writer. Sweet… cynical." Minato laughed slightly. The smile quieted down until it was barely there.

        Junpei rubbed the back of the fingers of his right hand against his left bicep. "What happened?" he asked softly, blinking slowly.

        After a reluctant pause, Minato said, "He died…"

Junpei leaned back, hands sliding down into his lap. He looked at Minato with slightly widened eyes, but then he furrowed his brows, frowning gently. 

        "I'm sorry."

        Minato shook his head. "He told me before that he didn't have long, and I just…" He took in a small breath. "We said goodbye on Sunday."

The waitress came by and lowered down the large bowls of beef noodles down in front of them. They sat in silence until she left and slowly moved closer towards their food. Minato pulled his hands out of his pockets; Junpei took chopsticks out of the wooden box set against the wall. He handed a pair over to Minato, who took them and adjusted them in his grip.  As Minato sat back, Junpei tapped his chopsticks against the table. 

        "Hey."

        Minato looked up towards his friend.

        Junpei gave a sad smile. "Good times though, right?"

        The smile was returned. "No regrets."

They ate in silence at first. Junpei moved his phone against the chopstick box and set on some music for them to listen to. A new song came up, something that sounded like jazz and rock combined, and Minato stared at the phone with a critical but appreciative stare.

        "Never heard this song before?" Junpei pointed at his phone.

        "Mm-mm."

        "Oh,  _dude!"_  

Junpei snatched up his phone, quickly navigating to his video player. Minato watched in amusement as he stirred his chopsticks around in his broth. He plucked up a tender slice of beef and bit into it. He felt content and warm, and for a while, the pain was gone but not forgotten.

 

Junpei, ever aware of Minato's silences and minute shifts, managed to keep his leader's mind off of the loss the entire time they were out. They passed by Bookworms on their way into the city, and Minato noticed that the doors were closed. When they came back hours later, closer towards the mid afternoon, Minato saw that the bookstore was opened. The elder couple inside welcomed him warmly, and Minato walked inside, quietly introducing Junpei – who only matched their excitable energy. When they headed back to the dorm, Minato noticed that Mitsuru and Aigis weren't present with everyone else. He sighed quietly. Of course, in having to deal with Akinari's passing, there was also the issue of Aigis' breakdown.

He was glad that, for the most part, it was being handled without him having to be there, but at the same time, he was as curious as everyone else as to what would happen with her. He reached up and rubbed his temples, feeling a sharp pounding growing in his head.  _Ten years ago…_ Something about that time period just… set him off. He tried not to think about it. He dropped his hands but didn't make it two steps before Ken approached him.

       "I wanted to go upstairs to train with Koromaru. Did you want to join?"

       Minato turned his head to the side, placing a hand on his hip. "I don't think I'm up for training…"

       Ken shook his head. "You can just sit. It's okay."

Another distraction. Fine by him. Minato nodded his head and gladly followed Ken upstairs. Koromaru was waiting on the first landing and gave an excited bark when the other two approached. The three of them headed up to the roof; Minato sat down against the railing to the left, watching as Koromaru trotted up to the center of the roof. Ken walked over to the right from the roof entrance, grabbing a wooden stick from where it leaned on the other railing. He twisted it deftly, tucking it behind his left arm as he walked over towards Koromaru, rubbing under his nose with his right hand. Minato noticed the light coloured wood looked like… a long broom handle. It probably was. He tilted his head slightly when something else caught his eye.

Ah. Ken still had the bracelet Minato gave him. "Did ya find it?" Ken asked, moving Minato's attention over towards Koromaru who had run over towards the roof storage unit. Koromaru was bent over something on the floor. When he turned around, he had a feather duster in his mouth. Minato watched for a second before covering his face and laughing. Ken jumped with the noise, never hearing Minato laugh so uproariously before. If asked, Minato would have had a hard time trying to explain himself. Koromaru with the feather duster as a sparring weapon was ridiculous, but something deeper pushed him into the laughing fit. Whatever it was, it felt good to forget himself for a little while and just let go.

 

A couple of days had passed before Aigis reappeared. There was a collective wave of relief upon seeing her, but it was obvious that there was something… different about her. Mitsuru stood solemnly to Aigis' side, and without a single word, the members of SEES gathered around her.

       "This is… rather difficult to explain, but AIgis has undergone an unforeseen change," Mitsuru began, arms crossed over her stomach. She stared down at the carpeted flooring, and though it was slight, an expression of confusion touched her features. "Aigis… Aigis is… human."

Everyone looked at Mitsuru with various degrees of shock, even Minato looked thrown for a loop. He wasn't entirely sure how to process this. Aigis was staring down at her hands, but she soon looked up to her companions, gauging each of their expressions. She opened her mouth to speak, and upon finding nothing, she closed her mouth and leaned back in her seat. Mitsuru looked over to her before continuing to speak herself.

       "It's okay, Aigis. I'm not entirely sure how to go about this myself."

       "Let's back up for a second," Yukari interjected. She placed her left hand on the back of the couch, gesturing out with her other. "How did you figure out that she was… 'human?'"

       "When she was first brought in, we were running a diagnostic on her and realised that she wasn't responding normally to our usual checks. Upone realising this, we ran through more rudimentary methods and discovered that her most of her _mechanical_ structure was… biological."

       After a long silence, Yukari shook her head. "H-how is that even possible?"

       "By normal standards, it isn't, and because we're witnessing something so out of the ordinary, I cannot begin to theorise how or why this happened." It was then that Mitsuru looked over to Minato. "I know that it has been some time, but would you mind telling us what happened on the night of her collapse?"

Minato ducked his head, wishing that he could avoid this conversation, but he knew that it had to happen at some point. Even though the memory brought him some degree of pain, Minato remembered each moment very clearly. He closed his eyes and retold the event in a steady voice, brows furrowing as a sharp stab of pain went through his mind. He grit his teeth when it was over, jaw tensing as he opened his eyes. Junpei's hand fell against Minato's back in a comforting gesture.

       "Ryoji… What is he?" Akihiko asked out loud as he brought his hand up to his mouth.

       Yukari curled her fingers against her thighs. "And what does it mean if he's here with us now?"

A contemplative silence fell over the group. A knock pierced the silence, and Koromaru hopped up to his feet, padding over to the door. He gave a muted little bark; Fuuka walked over, giving the Shiba an idle pat on the head. She opened the door and gasped in spite of herself.

       "Oh, Ryoji!"

       "Is everything okay?" he asked as he stepped into the dorm.

       "O-of course! Come on in."

Ryoji entered the door and looked over to the group of students sitting together in the common room. He nodded his head, and the SEES members gave half-hearted responses. They tried to look upbeat as usual. It just wasn't very convincing. Save Junpei, who walked over towards Ryoji in his same, welcoming manner.

       "Sup, Ryoji? Feel like hangin' out?"

       "Actually… I came by to see Minato." 

Again, there was another moment of shared, silent shock that passed through the entire group. Minato stood up straighter as Ryoji walked closer to him. He uncurled his hand, offering it out for Minato to take.

       "Shall we go then?"

Minato looked from Ryoji's hand over to Junpei and Fuuka. Fuuka gave an uncertain nod, and Junpei just shrugged. He mouthed 'I guess', unsure of how else to take the situation. Minato looked back to Ryoji before taking his hand. Ryoji's palm was chilly, not completely cold but far from the welcoming warmth he would have expected. After a gentle tug, Ryoji waved his free hand to the others.

       "See you! I just need to borrow him for a while."

       "Come back soon."

At the sound of Aigis' voice, Minato turned to look back to her. The way she sat in her seat… She wasn't completely upright. There was a slight sag in her shoulders, and her hands were overlapping each other, palms turned upward. Mitsuru stood at her side looking like a protective older sister. Minato nodded his head, and he followed Ryoji out of the dorm. They took the train together and got off at the station. They didn't go anywhere; instead, they took a seat at a bench near the flower shoppe. Ryoji let out a long groan of content as though he had been walking around all day. Minato glanced over at his companion, watching and waiting in characteristic silence. 

But there was a heaviness between them.

       "I never knew," Ryoji said after a long silence. "I'm not entirely sure how I could have remembered on my own. If Aigis had never attacked me, we all would have gone towards the end of the world content but unprepared." He stared up at the clouds, a small smile curving his lips. "I know you defeated all of the Shadows of the Full Moon. Am I right?"

       He tipped his head over towards Minato, who merely nodded.

       "That's good then. That means you're strong, resilient. That means I can trust you… with one request. Minato…" He came to his feet and moved to stand in front of Minato. "I want you to kill me."

Minato stared up at Ryoji, shock all too evident on his face, but in a moment, the shock twisted into something darker. He stood up to meet the other's gaze, a frown tugging on his lips as he balled his fingers up in his pockets.

       "I know this isn't easy," Ryoji said calmly.

       "No. You  _don't_ know." Minato took a step closer, not caring that their toes were touching and ignoring the heated suggestion that he step on Ryoji's feet if he dared to move any closer. "You think that I'll be able to swing a sword against you and bring you down?"

       "You're strong."

       "That doesn't mean  _anything!"_

His voice raised slightly, and there was a sharpness there that he hoped cut deep into Ryoji's mind. He wanted to drive the point home.

He couldn't.

       "Please, Minato," Ryoji begged with a whisper, meeting Minato's gaze evenly. 

He wouldn't.

       "Kill me," Ryoji's voice was warm but without emotion.

       "No." It was Minato's final answer.

       Ryoji closed his eyes. "… That's a shame."

A brief silence came between them, and Ryoji pulled himself away. He let out a little laugh, rolling back his shoulders. 

       "Well, let's not waste a beautiful day then. What do you want to do?"

       Minato didn't sigh, but his shoulders relaxed visibly. "Whatever, I guess."

       Ryoji smiled. "It's strange to think someone so passive could be behind such a powerful force. Well, let's go to the mall then. I'm sure there's something to do there, right?"

He waited for Minato to walk closer, and soon, the two of them began towards the mall. Ryoji let out a quiet sigh, reaching up to gently touch against Minato's arm.

       "Ten years… I've waited for this moment. I guess I'll wait to see how it all plays out in the end." His fingers came down to Minato's wrist. Minato pulled his hand out of his pocket and let Ryoji take it. "I'm sorry for the pain I've caused."

       Minato shook his head. It wasn't okay, but he didn't feel that Ryoji, himself, had anything to apologise for.

       Ryoji stopped and tugged on Minato's hand to get him to stop as well. "Tonight, I'll tell everyone, and I will leave the decision up to them as well."

       A nod. "That's fair."

       "I knew it would be." Ryoji smiled and looked down to their hands. He brought up his free hand and gently let it play over the bones of Minato's wrist. "Do you mind if… we spend more time together before the end? Whatever happens, I don't want there to be any regrets."

Minato stared at Ryoji's face, and when Ryoji lifted his head, Minato nodded. Ryoji smiled, the sadness and relief in it was striking. Minato felt a pain in his heart.

       "Then… let's go!"

 

Even though Minako had been warned about that would happen that night, she couldn't say that she was entirely prepared. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, phone in her left hand; a video was paused on her laptop on her desk. Her timeline, email, and messages were all busy. It had been a long few hours of replying back to everyone. Her phone vibrated in her hand. She checked the message onscreen.

        _Dinner's ready~ If you're not in the mood, I can leave a plate for you. ♥_

Minako locked her phone and moved downstairs. The idea of dinner seemed like a great idea right now. The dining area and common room were bursting with conversation. It was as if the strange news about Aigis had never come to them. Ken and Akihiko were talking animatedly about some show– whether or not it was accurate in its make– and Aigis sat at the other end of the table listening quietly. She looked up to meet Minako's gaze… and then she smiled. Minako relaxed, seeing that little expression. She walked over to Fuuka's side, carefully lifting her plate from beside the stove. She glanced over to Fuuka, who gave a shy little smile before glancing away. Though curious, Minako went to the table, taking a seat to Aigis' right without question.

       "May I… have a piece?" Aigis asked hesitantly.

       "Hn?" Minako looked to Aigis before picking up her chopsticks from where they set on the napkin.

She picked up a small piece of pork cutlet and offered it out to Aigis after dipping it in the homemade sauce. Aigis leaned over, taking the entire cutlet into her mouth. Minako drew back but not too much; one hand was still cupped under her chopsticks. Aigis chewed the food thoughtfully before looking to Minako in shock.

       "This is… delicious."

       "Sure is!" Junpei enthused, leaning back and looking to Fuuka. "'ey, Fuuka. What if I want seconds?"

       "You should probably wait before everyone else is served," Fuuka said with a soft laugh.

       Junpei sighed and rocked back further in his chair. "Lame."

Minako rolled her eyes with a huff of laughter through her nose. She then continued to eat, even feeding Aigis every now and again as she requested. Minako watched as Aigis chewed thoughtfully and listened to the contented noises as they came from the former android. She reached forward, cupping the blond's chin as she rubbed at the remnants of food from the corner of her mouth.

       "Messy," she said with a shake of her head. "I'll teach you how to use chopsticks soon."

       Aigis held Minako's gaze and then gave a single nod. "I would like that."

Minako knew better than to feel completely relaxed, but it was nice to fall into a normal routine for a little while. She and Aigis took over washing the dishes. Aigis spoke in a low voice, talking about her new experiences and how the world differed in her current state. Minako listened silently, making mental notes of everything that Aigis said. As they finished their dishes, Aigis reached down and squeezed Minako's hand. Minako gave a little smile and drained the water from the sink.

As everyone settled in the common room, Minako felt an otherworldly pulsation in her spirit. She wasn't sure when Ryoji was going to show up, and yet every part of her was anxious. She briefly wondered if Ryoji knew that his presence was anticipated but not dreaded. She took in a calming breath and attempted to let the other's voices drown out everything else she felt.

When the beating stopped, she knew.

There was a familiar knock at the door, and Junpei jogged over to answer it. Ryoji walked in with his usual smile, giving out his salutations. Without prompting, Minako came up to her feet to greet him. He motioned for her to head upstairs. Raising her brows, Minako led the way. They came up to her room, and Ryoji closed the door behind him, sighing loudly.

       "I know that I asked you before, but I just wanted to make sure that I gave you another chance to give me your answer." Ryoji walked over to Minako's window, gazing outside. Slowly, he turned back to face her. "You must see what I really am."

Minako felt the atmosphere pull and change around her. She took a step back as Ryoji transformed in front of her into a completely new being. The smiling mask stared down at her, and staring up into it, she could tell that he was holding back his power. There was a soul deep emptiness inside of her. For a moment, she could envision the jagged path with doors on either side. All of the doors were opened but dark. She closed her eyes as a dual-toned voice filled her room.

        _"Now that you've seen what I am… will you kill me now? You can stop it before The End truly comes."_

Minako opened her eyes and shook her head again.

       "This isn't how it's meant to be, Ryoji. I won't kill you."

_"..."_

His disappointment was palpable, but the atmosphere lightened as soon as he returned back to his human form. He brought a hand up to his face before looking over to Minako. 

       "If that's your decision… then I can only hope you're ready."

       "We will be," Minako assured.

He gave a sad, little smile and closed the space between them. He reached up a hand, allowing his fingers to trail over her left cheek.

       "If only there had been more time," he said softly, watching his hand.

Minako turned her gaze to the side, looking to his hand as well. With a sigh, Ryoji lowered it away and gave her another smile.

       "We should go down to the others then, shouldn't we?"

Minako nodded and once again led the way. When they were downstairs, Minako took her place on the couch. Ryoji went to stand near Fuuka's chair. He stared down at the ground before looking up and giving everyone his charming smile. He explained that he was the arbiter of Nyx and that she was the one who would bring about the end of the world. He referred to it as "the Fall" and weighed out what would await everyone if they decided not to fight Nyx. Minako looked around to the others, watching their reactions as Ryoji broke the news to them. She heard the voices of her friends but didn't absorb anything they had said. She noticed Ryoji shaking his head, dismissing something, but he didn't transform again as he had upstairs. Perhaps that was for the best.

       "I guess I can't change any of your minds." Ryoji slid his hands into his back pockets. "You all take after your Leader."

       "Pretty good role model," Akihiko said jokingly, looking back towards Minako.

       Ryoji laughed, and it sounded genuine. "I've no doubts." He brought his left hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. "If you wish to take on Nyx, you'll have to reach the top of Tartarus by next month. If you don't reach the top and fight her on January 31st, then the Fall will come."

       "You mean if we don't  _defeat_ her," Mitsuru corrected with a firm but polite tone. "Make no mistake, Ryoji. We plan on fighting her– and you, if we must."

       "You will." Ryoji nodded. "But I cannot deter you now. I will have to welcome you at The End. So then," he looked and met Minako's gaze, "I guess I'll be seeing you." He turned on his heel, ready to leave in the silence, but then he stopped. He gave a little laugh as he reached out for the door. "I guess I should say 'Happy New Year'. That's what people say for the upcoming year, right?"

       Yukari turned to watch as Ryoji prepared his exit. "Happy New Year, Ryoji."

Ryoji's fingers curled around the door and opened it. For a moment, he stared up at the sky in silence.

       "'Ryoji'… That was my name for a time, and I didn't mind it." He looked to everyone, smiled, and then left, pulling the door closed behind him.

 

Minako was incredibly relieved to enter the Tartarus once more. Spending each night amongst Shadows and pushing higher and higher was a comfort that she didn't realise she had missed. In the evenings, she negotiated with the merchant at the secret shop. In the day time, she had time to herself to prepare for what lay ahead. Her weekends were empty but not entirely uneventful. It seemed that everyone else was just as excited as she was to reach the end. Anxious – yes, of course – but they were all determined. Minako was glad that she had such a great team.

One Sunday, Minako finally found the desire to go back to the park. She hadn't been there since Akinari's passing. To be fair, she didn't really have time. Ken, Fuuka, or Akihiro took Koromaru for a walk here. Sometimes, she would join the walk there before going off on her own path. It became all too easy to avoid looking in the direction of the park, but what really surprised her was the ease she had in going back. She went to the park bench she and Akinari once sat on and found that there was an older woman sitting there now.

       "Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "Would you like to sit?"

Minako nodded her head and took her place on the bench. She was sitting in Akinari's place. It wasn't significant, just something that she noticed. The older woman had her hands folded over her lap. She gazed around quietly for a short while.

       "Akinari liked coming here; he really did. He would tell me all of the little ideas that came into his mind while he was sitting on this bench, and after a while, he began to talk about someone very special that he met. That someone mingled in with all of his creative talks."

Minako grit her teeth, fingers curling against the metal arm rest. Akinari's mother reached down and pulled up her bag. She held a notebook between her hands and stared at it fondly. Without a word, she came to stand on her feet, pulling her bag over her shoulder. She extended the notebook down to Minako.

       "I've waited for you here, never quite sure when you would show up. He told me that you resided in a dorm somewhere nearby, but I wasn't sure if I had the strength to look you up. Akinari… his final wish was for you to have this. So please, Arisato, take this with my blessing as well."

Minako reached up slowly, taking the notebook with both hands. Akinari's mother held the strap of her bag with both hands as well. She radiated a loving sadness. Letting go of the notebook must have been hard for her. Minako tried not to imagine; she couldn't afford to… feel anything at this moment.

       "Thank you for everything you've done for my son. I can't be sure what all was involved, but he was happy in the end. I just wanted you to know that."

       "… He was… He was important to us both," Minako finally managed. She set the notebook down in her lap. "It's just as important for you to remember that he was happy as well."

Akinari's mother let out a sad laugh, bringing up at hand and pressing it to her lips. Minako felt compelled to stand and so she did. She held the book in one hand. Akinari's mother reached out to grab Minako's free hand, giving it a little squeeze. Meeting the SEES leader's gaze, she said once more with great emphasis,

       " _Thank you._ I will never forget that."

She drew away finally and left the park in the same direction Akinari had once taken. Minako looked down to the notebook and decided to head home. She wanted to read the story Akinari had so carefully written and left, as promised, with her.

 

       "This is it! We're at the top!" Yukari shouted just as the moonlight above became visible.

Everyone ran up to the top of Tartarus, seeing Ryoji waiting patiently for them. Minako held her weapon in hand. She and Ryoji locked eyes. There was a moment of quiet understanding between them. There was no turning back now.

       "You really came. I can't say I'm surprised anymore. I won't hesitate then," Ryoji said, holding one arm out to his side and touching his heart with the other. "To defeat Nyx, you will have to defeat me as well."

       "We won't make things easy for you!" Akihiro shouted.

       "We're still friends," Junpei affirmed, "and if you think this Nyx thing is gonna take you, you've got another thing coming!"

       "This isn't the end!" Fuuka shouted courageously, drawing a hand over her heart.

       Aigis clenched her fists at her sides. "I have a new purpose… to protect this world!" 

       "You won't take us down," Ken stated coolly. Koromaru barked in agreement.

       Mitsuru swiped her sword in front of her. "We will stop who we must."

Ryoji turned his head to the center, locking eyes with Minako once again. She nodded her head.

       "Then this is the end…" He whispered as he gathered his power to begin his final transformation.

Minako turned her axe in her hands, holding it tight and lowering her stance. No matter what came, no matter what end Nyx threatened, Minako would fight fearlessly against the Fall. Considering all the people she met and those she had at her side, considering all she knew and cherished,

What did she have to fear anymore?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been almost two years now, wow. Whether you've been here from the very start or not, thank you all for helping me find an ending to this story. You'll are seriously… seriously the best. Onward to the next goal.


End file.
